Day Walker
by Night Shade10
Summary: Harry is gay and has now got a new boy in his class… *Please r'n'r* Warning: This is slash and if you don't like it don't read it...
1. The Prince Of Darkness

Day Walker  
  
Disclaimer: I only own Damien. Harry Potter and his friend belong to J.K Rowling. So does the scenery.  
  
Summary: Harry is gay and has now got a new boy in his class.  
  
~Chapter 1~  
  
~The Prince Of Darkness~  
  
Harry, Ron and Hermione sat together at the Gryffindor table while they watched the sorting of the new students who started Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry that semester. Harry had his eyes fixed on a blond Slytherin-boy, Draco Malfoy, his ex- arch nemesis and current secret crush. Then suddenly something, or more correct; someone, else caught Harry's attention. A pale boy with light-blue eyes, black hair and cherry-red lips were standing behind the first-years. He was obviously waiting to be sorted. Harry found out that the black-haired boy could hardly be a first-year himself. He looked at least sixteen.  
  
When all the first-years had been sorted into their respective houses, the pale boy were still standing there. He was actually looking quite shy, in spite of his Prince-Of-Darkness-appearance. Harry's thoughts got cut off when Professor Albus Dumbledore got to his feet and cleared his throat to ask for silence.  
  
"This year," he said, "this year we have, as usual, a lot of new students, but there's one in particular I would like to introduce." I  
  
The professor's eyes fell on the pale boy. "Damien D. Ness. Damien is a trasfer-student from McDonald's School for Wizards in Scotland. He's to be starting his sixth year here with us. Come up here, dear boy."  
  
Damien looked around for a second before he slowly walked up the podium. "Sit down, Damien," said Professor Minerva McGonagall, "You have to put in one of our four houses. There are Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. "  
  
He sat down and placed the battered, old Sorting Hat on his head. The Hat awoke and to think and whisper to Damien. Harry heard the Slytherins chatting quietly at their table. They were certain that the new boy would be put in their house. He could hear Draco talking to his 'fans', Crabbe and Goyle. "I mean, look at him! He looks like he's already way into the Dark Ar." He were interrupted when the Sortinghat suddenly yelled; "GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
"Damn," said Ron, "I were so sure that he would be put in Slytherin."  
  
"So were the Slytherins." Harry smiled shortly. He looked over at Draco just one more time before the feast begun.  
  
~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~  
  
After the meal the first-years, and Damien, were shown to their dormitories by the Prefects in their House. Harry, Ron and Hermione sat down in armchairs around a little chair in their common room and started to talk about what they had done over the summer. Hermione and Harry noticed, both at the same time, that Damien were sitting alone in one of the sofas. He was apparently writing something. "I'll go over to him. It's not right that a new Gryffindor should sit all alone on his first day with us," said Hermione firmly and got out of her chair. She walked over to the sofa where Damien were sitting. "Hello.. You're Damien, right?"  
  
He looked up from the book he was writing in. "Yeah I am. What it's to you," he said and looked back into his book.  
  
"I just think it's too bad that you should sit here alone when there's an empty chair over there by my friends and me, but if you're going to be so rude then you can just continue to be alone. I was only trying to be nice!" She turned her back on him and started to walk away.  
  
"No! Wait." Damien shut his book, got up and reached out and touched Hermione's shoulder. She turned around again.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I'm sorry. I'm just a bit pissed because I had to change schools. I would really like to sit with you, if the offer is still open?"  
  
Hermione smiled at him. "Off course it is. I'm Hermione by the way. And this is Ron and Harry."  
  
"Hi guys. I'm Damien D. Ness, but I guess you know that already with that marvellous introduction I got earlier."  
  
Both Harry and Ron smiled at him, but he didn't smile back. They really didn't think about it at that point. They sat there, talking of just about anything, until about midnight and Hermione almost fell asleep in her armchair.  
  
"I'm going to bed now, boys. And I really do think you should to so you don't fall asleep during breakfast. Good night," Hermione said and went up the staircase to the girls dormitories.  
  
"Is she always like that?" Damien looked at Harry.  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"All motherly. Like right now when she told us to go to bed."  
  
"Oh, that," said Harry with a little laughter. "Yes, I'm afraid so. You'll get used to it. We did. But she's right, you know. We ought to get to bed or we will fall asleep during breakfast."  
  
As he was underlining what Harry had just said, Ron yawned loudly.  
  
The boys walked together up to their dormitories. Damien weren't going to be sleeping in the same room as them, so he said 'good night' to the other boys and went into the room he had been appointed to.  
  
That night Harry couldn't sleep for a pretty long time after Ron had blacked out over in his bed. He were just laying on his back, thinking about Damien and Draco. He had to admit that Damien were good looking in his own pale-as-death way, but then there was Draco, who were so incredibly. Incredibly. Harry couldn't even find words. I have to admit it, he thought to himself, I have a major crush on Draco Malfoy! Gee! I'm supposed to hate him. That's sort of what enemies do, isn't it? They hate eachother. And I really don't know anything about Damien. I just spent an entire night talking to him and I still know basically nothing about the boy. How could I miss it during the conversation. Harry smacked himself in the forehead. Well. It could have been his beautiful eyes. Or his soo kissable lips. Or maybe. Then he slipped away into the land of dreams.  
  
~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~  
  
Author's note: I can not give you an exact date for my next update, but it will come as soon as possible. *Promise* 


	2. Turn Of The Tide

Day Walker  
  
Disclaimer: I still don't own anything or anyone, except Damien.  
  
Warning: Character death and slash. Hey, now you're warned, so don't complain to me if you're offended by my writing. I really don't appreciate being chewed on and spit back out via my review board. So if you don't like slash then please click your back button.  
  
Summary: Sorrow and comfort...  
  
~Chapter 2~  
  
~Turn Of The Tide~  
  
When Harry woke up the following morning he had a smile on his face. He couldn't actually remember his dream, but his entire body told him that it had been quite pleasant. If he concentrated really hard, he got a few flashes of black hair and blue eyes. 'Damien', thought Harry as he got out of bed and went to take a shower. 'I wonder what it would be like to hold him... Run my fingers though his hair...' When Harry had gone into the shower the other guys in his dorm had still been in their beds, but by the time he was finish they had all gone down for breakfast, so he just got his bag and climbed out the portrait hole.  
  
As he entered the Great Hall Harry's eyes met Draco's, who were warm instead of expressing their usual hostility. Harry smiled quickly, and rather surprised, at Draco before he joined Ron and Hermione, accompanied by Damien, at the Gryffindor table. Hermione was her usual self.  
  
"I wonder what Snape cooks up for us in Potions today... What if I haven't read about it? Oh no! I have to read!" Then she pulled out her book and buried her nose in it. Damien said 'hello' and smiled when Harry sat down. He didn't say anything else, but seemed to be dozing off in between his mouthfuls of fried eggs. He was obviously very tired. Ron, on the other hand, didn't greet him as he arrived, neither did he answer Neville when he asked him about their Defence Against The Dark Arts- homework. 'That's strange,' Harry thought, 'he seemed fine last night. Probably just tired...'  
  
~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~  
  
In Potions class, later that day, the subject was poison.  
  
"Today you're going to brew a poison called 'The Huntsman's Toxin'. The name comes from the days, when hunters who hunted for the fur and skin used it to kill their prey without external damage to the animal. But it takes an hour to kill a full-grown deer and therefore not very effec... MR. NESS!" Damien startled awake by the sound of Snape's voice.  
  
"I don't know what you're used to from your previous school, Mr. Ness, but I doubt that sleeping during class is one of them. Ten points form Gryffindor! And at least try to stay awake from now on." Snape made a note in his book before he turned, with a dramatic toss of his cloak, to face the blackboard. He wrote the page numbers on it and said:  
  
"You can read it yourselves." Then he sat down at his desk and scowled at the students as they opened their books.  
  
Harry lent over and whispered in Ron's ear;  
  
"I wonder if we can test the poison on the Slytherins?" (A/N: Well off course Ron didn't know about Harry's crush on Draco. We all know how he would react) Harry laughed, but Ron just snorted and turned away.  
  
At the end of the lesson each of the students put a little bottle of poison into a cupboard in the classroom.  
  
"Next lesson we will make the antidote and test both," said Snape the same second as the bell rang, "well, class dismissed."  
  
"Ey, Ron! What's up with you?" Harry caught up with Ron in the corridor outside the dungeon.  
  
"Nothing! I'm just a bit tired from yesterday, so get off my case," he snapped before he hurried on down the corridor.  
  
"I was just wondering," Harry muttered to himself.  
  
~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~  
  
A couple of days later Professor MacGonagall woke Harry up. She had tears running down her face.  
  
"Harry... Ron is..." Her voice cracked. "Ron is... Is... Dead..."  
  
"What?! He can't be!" He looked at her. She nodded. "NO!" Harry fell into MacGonagall's arms and began to cry loudly.  
  
In the afternoon, the same day, Dumbledore called to his office.  
  
"How are you feeling, Harry?" The headmaster's blue eyes were filled with tears.  
  
"How am I feeling?! My best friend is dead How do you think I feel?" Harry felt a sting of guilt for letting his anger and sorrow out on the professor, but he couldn't help it.  
  
"I know... I guess you want to know what happened?" Harry nodded.  
  
"Madame Pomfrey has examined Ron's body and found out that he committed suicide. By poisoning."  
  
"He killed himself?" Harry snapped out of his trance-like condition.  
  
"Yes, I'm sorry to say it, but he did. Professor Snape has looked through his things this morning, including the dungeon, and saw that the bottle of poison that Ron brewed had gone missing. But it was to late. He was already dead." Dumbledore removed his glasses and wiped his eyes. "If you're up to it, I have to ask you a few questions. Is that all right?" Again Harry nodded.  
  
"First of all," the professor pushed his glassed back in place, "did Ron seem depressed over the last couple of weeks?"  
  
"No, not really. He was a bit edgy a few days ago, but I thought he was just tired." Harry started to sob again. The Headmaster conjured up a handkerchief and handed it to him.  
  
Two hours, a whole lot of questions and four handkerchiefs later Harry sat next to Hermione at dinner. They were both picking their food. Harry knew he ought to eat, but he got sick to his stomach just by looking at the chicken on his plate.  
  
"Harry...?" Hermione placed her hand gently on his shoulder. "Would it be all right with you if I go up to the dorm? I need some rest. It's been such an awful day. I can't believe that Ron would... Would..." She lost her ability to speak as the tears began to run down her face. Harry lent over and hugged her tightly.  
  
"Yes, I'll be fine." Technically that was a lie, but he needed some time alone. Everyone had given him their condolences, Hagrid had nearly squashed him with one of his hugs. "Ey, 'Mione..? Have you seen Damien today...?"  
  
"Yes. I saw him this morning. Right after... Well, you know... He said he was sorry about what happened and that he would stay away today, because he reckoned we needed some time together... I told him that he was right." Hermione hugged Harry once more, got up and left the Great Hall quickly.  
  
Harry sat there and just stared at his hands for awhile, but as the other Gryffindors left he let his head fall backwards and looked up at the bewitched ceiling. After about fifteen minutes he saw the shadow of someone standing next to him.  
  
"I thought you when upstairs, 'Mione," said Harry whitout taking a look at the person standing next to him.  
  
"I'm not Granger," answered a voice. Harry looked up and met the eyes of Draco Malfoy.  
  
"Oh, come to gloat, have you Malfoy? Well, then I have to inform you that it's a bloody waste of time," Harry snapped at Draco with his eyes still fixed on the ceiling.  
  
"I haven't come to gloat. I've come too apologise for the way I've behaved the past years. I know that it's too late to ask for Ron's forgiveness, but I can at least ask for yours." Harry looked at the blond-haired boy. 'He looks like he means it. And he actually refered to Ron as 'Ron' instead of 'Weasly'. That's a first.'  
  
"You've done quite a few nasty things during our time here, but on the other hand, so have I. So I will except your apology."  
  
"I think you're handling this very well. I wouldn't have coped if I were in your shoes." Harry looked at him and saw friendship in his eyes. All of the memories he had made with Ron all popped into his head at once and he started to weep again. Draco put his arms around Harry and stroked his back and hair.  
  
"Shh... It'll be OK... Everything's going to be OK..." Draco continued to stroke Harry until he calmed down. Harry listened to Draco's soothing voice and suddenly he realised that even though Ron was gone, he still had friends that were alive. He wiped his tears and looked up to meet the other boy's eyes again.  
  
"Draco...?"  
  
"Shhh..." Draco put two fingers under Harry's chin and tilted his head a bit upwards and kissed him. Harry's head nearly exploded with thoughts. 'Oh. My. God. I'm kissing Draco! He kissed me!' He tossed the thoughts aside and surrendered to the kiss. Draco's lips were so soft and gentle and when he felt the tip of a tongue slide over his own he willingly let it into his mouth. Harry tasted the Slytherin before their tongues entwined in a kiss that seemed to last forever. It was a turn of the tide for Harry.  
  
~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~  
  
Author's note:  
  
I had the oppertunity to post this a bit earlier than I thought I would. I'm quite pleased with it. I'm in need of a beta, so if anyone would like the job so please send me a mail... *Smiles* 


	3. Bubbles Silencio

Day Walker  
  
Disclaimer: Only Damien is mine, but none of the others. *Sigh*  
  
Warning: Some light boy-boy action. Again, you're warned so...  
  
Summary: Harry and Draco got busted.  
  
~Chapter 3~  
  
~Bubble Silencio~  
  
Draco arrived at breakfast shortly after Harry with his head bent, looking at the floor. Harry followed his with his eyes all the way from the entrance to the Great Hall over to the Slytherin table.  
  
"Who's put the Submissive Spell on Malfoy?" Damien put his arm halfway around Harry's shoulders. Harry tried to force a little smile, but then Draco raised his head. Harry drew his breath quickly. Draco had a black eye! At that time Damien was too busy with cutting up his toast in equal sized pieces.  
  
Harry looked over at Draco again and their eyes met. Harry almost saw sparks fly between them.  
  
"Harry? Harry? Excuse me, but which planet are you on today?" Hermione waved one hand in front of his face. He tore his eyes away from the blond boy and looked at her.  
  
"Sorry 'Mione. Just drifted away for a moment there." He smiled at her.  
  
"How are you feeling, Harry?" She had a look of concern on her face.  
  
"I'm actually feeling better. Of course I'm sad, I've just lost one of my best friends. But I did some thinking last night and found out that life is too short to dwell on what's in the past and embrace the presence and be honest with your friends. So Hermione, I have to tell you something."  
  
"Ok." The concern had been replaced by anxiousness.  
  
"I'm gay," Harry whispered to her, "I'm gay and I've got a huge crush on Draco Malfoy and he's given me the impression that he likes me too." Hermione took a deep breath.  
  
"I can handle the gay-thing, but Malfoy? I can see why you like him. He is quite a hottie, but why, no offense Harry, why do you think he likes you?" Her voice was but a whisper.  
  
"Because," Harry hesitated and lowered his voice even more, "he kissed me last night."  
  
"Oh..."  
  
"Yes. It surprised me too. He came to me a while after you left the dinner table and the Hall was empty. He apologized for everything he's done over the years and..." Harry told her the entire story. Quietly that was.  
  
"Well," Hermione and ran her fingers throught her wild hair, "there's not much doubt then, is there?"  
  
"No. Not really." Harry smiled. "Thank you for understanding, 'Mione." Harry took her hand under the table and squeezed it before he poured himself a goblet of pumpkin juice and got some eggs.  
  
"Guys?," Damien had finished his symmetrical toast. "Have you seen the way Malfoy looks today?" He didn't wait for an answer. "He's got a nasty bruise on his left cheek. A little cut there as well, I think. Hope it wont scar. He is cute." A loud cough erupted from Hermione as she, like Harry, choked on her breakfast, but none of them commented.  
  
~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~  
  
When Harry came out of the boys' bathroom around 5pm the same day, someone took a hold of his robes and pulled him into a deserted corridor. It was Draco.  
  
"Bubbles Silencio!" Draco had cast a soundproof bubble around himself and Harry. "Finally! I've been following you around all day!"  
  
"You have?" Harry smiled and blushed slightly.  
  
"Yes... I want to talk to you, bu t you're never alone. What are they anyway? Your shadows?" He looked abit exhausted.  
  
"You have a point there. Before you say anything I want to know a little something. What happened to your face?"  
  
"That was exactly what I wanted to talk to you about. Someone obviously saw us last night and told Crabbe and Goyle. Of course then they came to me and told me that an untrue rumor about me is going around school. I tell them that they're wrong, that the rumor is true and then one of them punched me." Draco paused to breathe. "They said that they were going to tell my father so that he would punish me. But I know that he wont do that. He'll just exclude me from the family, and believe me, that is no punishment." He smiled shortly.  
  
"I'm so sorry." Harry lifted his hand to Draco's face and gently traced the edges of the bruise with his fingertips.  
  
"It's not your fault, luv. I kissed you, not the other way around."  
  
"I know, but I just hate the fact that you got hurt because of me." Harry looked at his feet and kicked an imaginary pebble across the corridor.  
  
"Harry... Don't feel any guilt or regret because of me. I wanted to kiss you, so I went for it. The question is, what do you want? Do you regret not pushing me away?" Suddenly Draco looked distant and maybe a bit sad. As though he was preparing himself or a let-down.  
  
"I don't regret anything. I've been wanting to kiss you since the middle of last semester. And what I want? I want you..." Harry looked the other boy straight in the eye when he said it and was quite impressed by his own courage.  
  
"You have? You do?" He was nearly stuttering. Now it was Draco's turn to blush. Harry grinned at him.  
  
"Yes and yes. But I've got to go now. Told 'Mione that I would be right up so if I don't get back up to the tower she'll might send a search party out looking for me." Harry smiled at the thought. "She worries so easily these days."  
  
"I understand." Draco looked around to see if anyone was coming, then he pushed Harry softly against the wall and gave him a short yet sensual kiss before he reversed the silence spell.  
  
"I want to see more of you, Draco. Can I?" He kept his voice low now that everyone who might be around could hear him.  
  
"Of course you can. I'll be in touch." Harry leant in and gave the silvery haired boy a small kiss on the forehead before they went their seperate ways to avoid attention.  
  
~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~  
  
That night Harry couldn't sleep again. Like so many nights before Draco filled his head to the brim. He was processing the conversation they had had earlier. 'Draco called me 'luv',' he thought. He was happy, but someone was happier than him. A slender, pale haired boy were also laying awake in his bed that night, thinking about 'his Harry'.  
  
  
  
Author's note:  
  
Just want to say thank you to Katie, my beta and to wish my best friend Moondragon good luck with her new relationship to God (don't ask)! 


	4. Fangs

Day Walker  
  
Disclaimer: I have no rights to any of the characters, except Damien. (There! I've said it again)  
  
Warning: Some boy-boy fondling and kissing. Flame me, and I'll hunt you down with a blowtorch and flame you back! Don't think I'll do that? Hehe! Try me.  
  
Summary: Two relationships evolving.  
  
~Chapter 4~  
  
~ Fangs~  
  
Already two days later Harry was pulled out of his dreams by Hedwig. She was sitting on his stomach and sort of poking him with one of her talons. When he opened his eyes and looked at her she stuck out her leg so that Harry could remove the little note that was tied to it. With much curiosity and anticipation he unfolded it quickly. The note said:  
  
' Meet me out by the lake tonight about an hour after dinner. I know you want to. I've seen the looks you've been giving me. ~Draco  
  
Harry felt his face turn red. He gave Hedwig a little hug and she flew out of an open window. The he sat up in his four poster and put the note on the pillow. Harry took off his pyjamas and got dressed where he was. Then he folded the note carefully together, tucked it inside his robes and went down for breakfast.  
  
~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~  
  
Harry was the first person in the Great Hall that morning. Not even the teachers had got there yet. He sat down at the far end of the Gryffindor table. He needed to get as far away from the aisle as possible, because he was afraid that if Draco came closer to him than five feet he'd blush, or worse, giggle.  
  
'Oh God! I can't let that happen,' Harry thought and moved another inch further away from the aisle. 'Great!' He looked down and found out that if he moved just a centimetre to the right he'd fall off the bench.  
  
"Not so great," he said to himself and moved back.  
  
"Good morning there, Harry. Up early today?" It was Albus Dumbledore.  
  
"Good morning to you too, sir. Yes, I am. Hedwig woke me up." Harry put his hand inside his robes and let his fingers play with Draco's note.  
  
"Oh. I see. Well, enjoy your breakfast. Here's one of your fellow Gryffindors as well. So long, Harry."  
  
"Bye, Professor," said Harry as Dumbledore left. Harry took the note out and just looked at the neatly folded piece of parchment and put it back into the pocket of his robes.  
  
The sound of footsteps pulled Harry's attention to the end of the table. It was Dean Thomas.  
  
"Hi Harry," Dean said and sat down across the table from Harry.  
  
"Hi."  
  
"I heard some rumours about you and Malfoy from some of the other guys here." Dean took one look at Harry's face and stopped talking.  
  
"Yes Dean... The rumours are true. No need in keeping it from you. Dean?"  
  
"Yes..."  
  
"Can you promise me one thing?"  
  
"Yes," Dean said again.  
  
"Don't tell anyone, not even your friends, what I've told you. We, Draco and I that is, will let everyone know soon enough. I want people to get the confirmation from me or him, not by second-hand information."  
  
"I see what you mean and I respect that. I won't tell anyone. I know what I would have wanted if I were in your shoes." Dean made a zipper movement over his lips and smiled at Harry. "By the way," Dean said, "Damien told me to tell you and Hermione that he's not feeling well and won't be going to classes today. He's already let the teachers know, so don't worry about that."  
  
"OK. Thanks Dean."  
  
~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~  
  
Everyone of Harry's classes that day went by quickly. Hermione pointed out during Herbology that Harry was so happy.  
  
"What is it? I mean, you're almost floating. I would not be surprised if I suddenly saw pink fluffy clouds around you."  
  
"Relax 'Mione. I won't fly away quite yet." Harry made flapping movements with his arms and whistled like a bird.  
  
"Oh stop it!" Hermione laughed. Harry stopped and grinned at her. "Thanks. Just five more minutes now, and we're off to Potions."  
  
Harry's face went pale. 'Oh no! Totally forgot about Potions. I don't think I'll handle being in the same room as HIM for two whole hours!' Harry nearly panicked, but on the outside he tried to stay calm.  
  
"Oh... I'd actually forgotten about that. Shall we try to be early today? I want to sit in the back of the classroom."  
  
"Of course we can. Any reason in particular?"  
  
"Ehh... Well, I might as well tell you now. I'm going to meet Draco out by the lake tonight and until then I would like to not bump into. I think that I'd giggle."  
  
"And we can't allow that to happen now, can we?" She smiled, and said: "I understand. We'll just have to try to keep you from 'bumping into' him then!" Harry just smiled and started to pack his things. "Next stop; Potions."  
  
~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~  
  
Harry and Hermione were both surprised over how well Potions went. Except the fact that Snape took about fifty points from Gryffindor because Harry didn't pay attention. They arrived outside the dungeon first and got good seats in the far corner of the room. When Draco came through the door Harry met his eyes for a brief moment before he sat down at the front row with his back towards Harry. After class Harry left before Draco and they didn't see each other again until dinner.  
  
Damien showed up at dinner. He looked even more pale than usual.  
  
"Hey Damien. Are you feeling better now?" Damien sat down next to Harry. Hermione was sitting further down the table, talking to Ginny.  
  
"Yeah. A bit better at least. I've got my appetite back!" He smiled. "I was so dizzy this morning and quite sick as well, so I decided to stay in bed. Have I missed anything important?"  
  
"Actually, I don't know. My mind's been wandering elsewhere all day."  
  
Damien lent closer to Harry and whispered: "Oh... It's that Malfoy-kid, right?" Harry's face turned completely red.  
  
"H-h-h-how do you know? It's the rumours, isn't it?"  
  
"Forget about the rumours, Harry. Yes, I heard them, but I didn't believe them. Until I saw how you two look at each other."  
  
"Oh, you noticed? Well, obviously. Then you're the second one to know what's happening tonight." Then Harry told him about both the kissing episodes and the note. By some reason he felt he could trust Damien.  
  
"I'd hand it to you, Harry... You're brave. I figured out that you were gay quite early. It was like I could smell it. Probably because I'm gay myself."  
  
"Yeah.. The famous gay-dar. But why do you think I'm brave?"  
  
"Since you're obviously dating Malfoy - What's his first name?"  
  
"Draco."  
  
"Thanks! Since you're obviously dating Draco now, official or not, I guess you're planning on coming out of the closet in a while?"  
  
"I haven't thought of that actually, but I don't think I'll handle the hiding and secrecy for very long. So I guess I just have to come out then!" Harry smiled.  
  
"As I was saying, you are brave!" Damien smiled back and this time Harry caught a glimpse of his teeth. 'What?' Harry thought. 'Fangs? No, I got to be wrong.' When the two boys talked on about everything and nothing Harry tried to get another look, but he couldn't. After about ten minutes Damien said: "Ehh Harry? I think we've forgotten something." He pointed to their plates who both had dinner on them. Cold dinner.  
  
Damien cast a warming spell on their food and they both hurried to finish it, and then Harry went up to the Gryffindor tower. He changed into a green pair of robes that he knew brought out his eyes. Ginny had told him that once. 'Now the hair.' Harry was standing in front of the mirror in the bathroom. First he tried to flatten it. A complete failure, so then he used a hair- gel-spell and just messed it up. 'Damn! It looks like it's supposed to be like that! Cool!' Harry looked at himself in the mirror and actually liked what he saw. 'Hmmm... That's a first!' He grinned at his own reflection. He walked out of the bathroom and over to the window by his bed. At first he saw nothing and no one, but then he saw a shape with silvery hair move towards the lake. In a split second Harry had turned around and ran down the stairs. He managed to control himself and walked through the common room, but as soon as he was out of the portrait hole, he couldn't keep from running. He just kept on running until he got outside.  
  
"Relax now, Harry," he said to himself, "there's no need to go completely off the hook here." He took a deep breath and walked on in a normal pace, and then he saw Draco through the dusky mist over the lake. He was sitting on the ground by a big tree. Draco turned his head and spotted Harry.  
  
"You came! I was starting to worry." He got to his feet and slowly moved in Harry's direction.  
  
"Of course I came. You really thought I'd not? If I hadn't been able to come I would have let you know." By that time the two boys were very close. Harry put his hands on Draco's hips and pulled him even closer. "I wouldn't have stood you up without any reason or without telling you. That's cruel."  
  
"I know that you wouldn't be that mean, but I worried a little anyway."  
  
"I was worried too, you know," said Harry in a low voice, "I was standing in the window waiting for you to go out here. But who cares what we did before we came here. We are here now, together, and I want to get know you better. And I want a kiss," said Harry and stared at a spot just above Draco's head. Draco cradled Harry's face in his hands and gave him a long kiss. Harry felt his knees weaken and a tingly feeling spread in his body. Harry closed his eyes and just enjoyed the kiss. He opened them again when he felt that Draco's lips retreated.  
  
"There! One wish granted, luv. Not a bad wish either, I must add." He laughed. "Now let's sit down." Draco sent Harry a large grin and sat down by the tree again. He patted the ground next to him. "Come on. Don't be shy."  
  
"I'm not shy. I just need to make my feet work again after you paralysed me with that kiss." They both laughed and Harry sat down.  
  
"So. What do you want to know?" Draco's eyes met Harry's.  
  
"I don't know actually. What it's like to be you, I guess. What you think of when you lay awake at night. Your favourite school subject. Stuff like that. Just get to know you. The real you."  
  
"The real me?"  
  
"Yeah. I refuse to believe that the loudmouthed, insulting, cocky and arrogant Slytherin boy we all know is the real Draco Malfoy. Am I right?"  
  
"Well," Draco let out a little laughter, "maybe you're right and maybe you're wrong. You'll get to know when I want you to, but I won't tell you everything at once. Remember that I want to know stuff about you as well, Mr. Potter."  
  
"I think you've already answered my question."  
  
"Huh? When?"  
  
"When you called me 'luv' instead of my given name." Harry put his index finger gently on Draco's nose. "Not exactly evil, was it?"  
  
"I break down and confess." Draco shifted his position so that he was on his knees in front of Harry. "I'm not how I appear to be. It's just a mask. But I don't want to be that person around you. I want to be myself. I am myself around you."  
  
"I know, Draco. I know." Harry lifted his hand and softly caressed Draco's pale chin. Pale grey eyes met fiery green. This time it was Harry's turn to take initiative. He lent into the kneeling boy and kissed first the corner of his eye, then his delicate cheekbone, moved further down his face to his jawbone and at last he reached his lips. Harry let the tip of his tongue touch the other boy's lower lip. Harry separated them with his tongue and let it explore the soft insides of Draco's mouth. Harry got his knees under him and got up on them and pulled Draco into the same position. He felt gently hands stroking and softly scratching his back. The same tingly feeling as he had felt every time Draco touched him was there this time too. Harry put his arms around the blonde and started to stroke him back. He was almost startled when Draco put his hands on his ass and started to massage him slowly.  
  
"Oh please don't stop," he panted when he interrupted the kiss to breathe.  
  
"Don't worry. I won't unless you tell me to," Draco replied before he caught Harry's red and swollen lips in another kiss. Harry didn't hesitate to put his arms around Draco. He felt the blonde's eager hands on his back and shoulder. They travelled to his chest and down his stomach. Harry froze for a split second when he felt a hand on his crotch, but it didn't feel wrong. It felt good. Harry put his hands on Draco's ass and stroked and massaged it softly. As he was doing that the hand on his crotch went down his trousers and fondled him directly. Skin meeting skin. Harry sank into Draco's embrace and moaned against his lips.  
  
The two boys stayed out there until the night had covered the school grounds in a velvet-like bluish black darkness.  
  
"We have to get inside before someone misses us. I remember something about Hermione and a search party the last time we met."  
  
"She knows where I am, and so do Damien, and they are the only ones who could possibly miss me at this hour."  
  
"So you've told them?"  
  
"Yes. Damien had already guessed that I'm gay AND that we like eachother so no need in not telling him. I think he's a great guy as well so."  
  
"You do, do you?" Draco stared at Harry with a jealous look in his eyes.  
  
"Not like that! I think he's handsome, but he can't compare to you, D."  
  
"D? How cute..." All the jealousy had dissappeared. Then Draco did something Harry had thought he'd never do. He blushed.  
  
"I think it suits you. Let's get going. It's getting late." He got up and reached out a hand to help Draco up. They didn't let go of each other's hands until they reached the stairs inside.  
  
"Good night, luv." Draco gave Harry a quick kiss.  
  
"Good night, D. See you at breakfast." They smiled and walked away from each other. Harry, up to the tower, and Draco, down to the dungeons. 


	5. Confessions

Day Walker  
  
Disclaimer: JK Rowling still own all of them. Except Damien. He's mine. My own. My precious...  
  
Summary: Damien reveals his deepest, darkest secret to Harry and Hermione.  
  
~Chapter 5~  
  
~ Confessions~  
  
Over the next couple of weeks Harry and Draco met by the lake almost every day. They had both started to think of the other as 'my boyfriend' and grown quite close. But Harry was getting a little depressed by not being able to show his affection for Draco in public, and when they met one autumn night he told him how he felt about the secrecy.  
  
"I don't want to continue like this. I want to be able to give you a good morning kiss when I see you at breakfast. I want to sit with you in Potions and hold your hand on the way there. I want to go with you to the Halloween Ball." The two boys were sitting by 'their' tree facing each other.  
  
"Why can't we go to the Halloween Ball together then?"  
  
"Huh?" The look on Harry's face could only be described by a questionmark with specs on it. That was not the reaction he had expected.  
  
"Harry... Would you go to the Halloween Ball with me?" Draco's grey eyes were filled with warmth when he looked at Harry and waited for his answer.  
  
"Oh D... Of course I will! I really feel that it's time to make it official. That we're gay and together and all."  
  
"I couldn't agree more. This sneaking and hiding gives it a certain thrill, but as you said; I want to give you a 'hello-luv-I've-missed-you-kiss when I see you again. In public! Most of my so-called friends in Slytherin already know that I'm gay, by the way. I told the lovely ms. Parkinson just to get her off my back!" He let out a tiny giggle at the thought. "But it's not world wide, or should I say school wide, yet, but I'm ready to let them know. You'll have to prepare yourself for insults, Harry. A lot of insults."  
  
"I sorta figured that out my self, and, if I'm not totally wrong here, so should you. I know they're not going to be nice. Neither of them." Draco knew at once that Harry was talking about the people in their houses. "But we can handle it. We'll just have to remember that we're better than them. Braver than them. I'll bet there's a whole lot of them that wish they had the guts to come out."  
  
"Yes," said Draco, "I know at least two."  
  
"Who?" Harry got curious.  
  
"Crabbe and Goyle."  
  
"What?! I thought you said that one of them punched you because you're gay?"  
  
"I never said that. Yes, I said that one of them punched me, but I didn't give you a reason. They hit me, not because I'm gay, but because I kissed you, when I've been rejecting them for ages."  
  
"Oh... I see..."  
  
"But it's final then?" Draco changed the subject. "We are going on our first official date on Halloween?"  
  
"Yes, it's final." Harry smiled. 'A date,' he thought, 'with Draco.' He suddenly felt warm all over in spite of the cool air. Harry didn't chance to think much more because Draco kissed him, and that was all that mattered.  
  
~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~  
  
The following night the two boys couldn't meet because Draco had an appointment with Professor Sprout regarding his marks, so Harry decided to spend the night in the Gryffindor common room with Damien and Hermione.  
  
"I'm sorry, guys," Harry said to them, "I've been neglecting you lately. But..."  
  
"No need to appologise, Harry," Damien interrupted, "'Mione and I talked about that after dinner yesterday and we both know what it's like to be in a new relationship and you want to be with your chosen one all day, every day. And you can only see him in the evenings so..."  
  
"Just be with him. You deserve it." Hermione finished the sentence.  
  
"Thanks guys. But it won't be like that for much longer."  
  
"What...? Are you two breaking up?" Hermione were surprised.  
  
"No! I wouldn't do that. We're going to the Halloween Ball... Together..." Harry's face turned a light shade of pink.  
  
"How cute! I'm so happy for you, Harry." Hermione gave him a hug. "Now we want to know the details. Right Damien?"  
  
"Yup! Come on! Spill it! Who asked who?" Damien looked at Harry with a look on his face that mostly resembled a curious kitten.  
  
"He asked me actually. I brought it up, but he asked. And I really wanted to so... Damien, I'm coming out!"  
  
"As I said earlier: You're brave!" Damien smiled and again Harry saw what to him appeared to be fangs, and he just had to ask.  
  
"Can I ask you a strange question?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Ehh... Du you have... Ehh.. Do you have fangs?" Harry was afraid of how Damien would react.  
  
He stayed calm and answered. "Yes, I do. As a matter of fact I was planning on telling you about that tonight. Before I start I just want you to know that I don't tell everyone this. I've really come to like and trust you guys and know that you are not prejudiced, so I'll just take the the chance and hope that you'll still like and trust me afterwards."  
  
"I'm sure we will. Believe me, we've been in a lot of odd sitiuations, so don't worry about that." Harry sent Damien a reassuring smile. So did Hermione.  
  
Damien took a deep breath ad began to speak. "I'll just start at the beginning. Here I go then... My dad's a wizard, but my mum's a vampire. So that makes me what is called a day walker. I was raised by my dad as a wizard, not a vampire. I'm not dangerous. Remember that. I don't have the bloodthirst that fullblood vampires have. I haven't had any contact with my mum since I was a baby. She left dad and me to join a vampire cult or something. The only connection I've got to her now are these," he tapped his fangs, "and my last name. I write 'D.Ness', but it's really 'Darkness' I wanted to keep it because, in spite of what she is and that she left me, she's still my mother. You know?"  
  
"Yeah... Sort of, at least." Harry thought about his own mother for a moment. "Go on."  
  
"Actually there's not much more to tell. I just have to point out again that I am not dangerous."  
  
"We know that, Damien. Is this why you had to change schools?" Hermione moved over from her armchair to the sofa that Damien was in.  
  
"Yes. I was able to hide it for most my years there, but someone found out last semester. The headmaster heard the news and so did the parents of the other students and they decided that they didn't want their children to be in school with me." Damien's eyes filled with tears. "I've never hurt anyone! I'm not like that! They called me a monster. My DADA teacher even asked me if he could use me as an example in his classes." The tears found their way down his face like tiny, sad rivers. Harry also moved into the sofa. It was just enough room for three people in it. He put his arm gently around Damien's shoulders. Damien wiped his tears away and continued to talk.  
  
"I refused," he caught the unspoken question of what he did then. "I didn't want to be put on display like that." He took a deep breath. "So he expelled me from his class. I didn't miss much though, because a friend of mine, one of the few who didn't turn on me, told me which chapters they had read and what they got for homework, so that I could keep up. But I didn't pass the subject of course, and I couldn't stay there. So me and my dad decided that I should apply here since it was so far away."  
  
"Does Dumbledore know about this?" Harry wondered.  
  
"Yes. I wrote it in my application. He said that it wasn't a problem. He'd been around halfbloods like me before and he said that he knew that I, and others of my kind, are not any more evil than your average human being."  
  
"And so do we." Hermione had stayed quiet throughout Damien's speach. "We have one friend who's a half-giant, and another who's a werewolf, and we haven't turned away from them after we found out. We won't do that to you either."  
  
"Thank you... For understanding me." He hugged Hermione and turned around and hugged Harry as well.  
  
~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~  
  
Author's note: To all of you who reviewed my fic: Thanks for lots of constructive critism and encouraging. I'm gratefull! 


	6. Dance With Me

Day Walker  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine. Only Damien is my doing.  
  
Summary: The 'first' date.  
  
Warning: Boy-boy action...  
  
~Chapter 6~  
  
~ Dance With Me~  
  
The night before Halloween Harry spent in his dormitory. He and Damien were trying to find out what Harry was going to wear to the ball. Draco and Harry had decided that they shouldn't meet that day because both of them were so nervous that they feared that if they got the chance to talk about it they'd back out, and they both wanted it so bad. They really couldn't risk it. So they stayed apart.  
  
"Damien? Can you come out here for a second?" Harry was more or less standing on his head in his trunk. Damien was in the bathroom. He had just finished showering.  
  
"What's the matter, Harry?"  
  
"Which one looks the best? This one, or..." Harry lifted his head and saw Damien. He was wearing only a pair of tight-sitting, black muggle trousers. His hair was still wet and let small drops of water run down his pale muscular chest and down his abs until they were soaked by the fabric of his trousers.  
  
"What were you saying, Harry?" said Damien with a smile.  
  
"Erm...?" Harry forgot it for a split second. "Oh! Yes. I was just wondering which robes would look the best on me." He help up two black robes.  
  
"I think I would go for the black one... No, wait. I've changed my mind. Take the black one instead." Damien laughed. "You're getting paranoid Harry. Draco won't care about what you wear. I actually think he'd like you the best if you wear nothing tomorrow night." He laughed again. "Calm down. It'll be fine. Just choose something you're comfortable wearing." Damien patted Harry's head as if he were a puppy.  
  
"I guess you're right. I'll take the black robes then," he said and grinned, "and could you please do me a favour?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Put a t-shirt or something on. You're distracing me..." Harry waved his hand in Damien's direction.  
  
"Oh! I'm sorry." Damien blushed and rushed off to put something on. "I forgot it, Harry..." he yelled from the bathroom. "I usually walk around like that for a while after a shower." He came back out, wearing a black t- shirt. It was almost as revealing as if it wasn't there, but not showing as much skin.  
  
"Thank you. It helped. A bit at least." Harry laughed as he passed Damien on his way to the bathroom.  
  
~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~  
  
The Halloween Ball was a bit different that year. The prefects had asked Dumbledore if the fifth-, sixth- and seventh year students cuold have a dance after the Halloween feast. He liked the idea, so that year Hogwarts held it's first annual Halloween Dance. Dumbledore even volunteered to bewitch some carved pumpkins to form the band.  
  
~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~  
  
A little spotted owl landed on Harry's shoulder when he was walking across the school grounds later that day. It carried a small envelope with Draco's handwriting on it. Harry smiled and opened it. It was more a short letter than a message.  
  
"I know that we weren't supposed to have any contact before the Ball, but I have an idea. And I just had to..."  
  
Harry stopped walking and just read when he nearly collided with a tree. 'Hmmm...' Harry thought when he had finished the letter, 'that was a good idea. Why not come out on the dance floor?' He sat down on the ground, took out a quill and some parchment and answered his boyfriend. The little owl was still perched patiently on his shoulder.  
  
~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~  
  
Harry arrived the Great Hall with Damien, Hermione and a whole lot of nerves. His hands were shaking like autumn leaves in the wind. Or worse.  
  
"I'm seriously going mental here. I mean profanely insane. Just look!" Harry held out his hands for them to see.  
  
"Oh Harry," Hermione laughed, "you're not going, as you put it 'profanely insane'. You're just nervous. Just like you've been for days now."  
  
"But not for long, my dear Potter," said Damien with a hint of laughter and Sherlock Holmes in his voice, "within two hours the worst part will be over. You can always handle the cruelty and teasing afterwards. Sticks and stones you know. It's the coming out part that's difficult, but you're strong, Harry. You'll manage." He stopped talking when the food appeared on the plates in front of them. "Enjoy the feast and look forward to being with him. From the looks of it, you're not the only one who's nervous." Damien nodded in the Slytherin table's general direction. Harry turned his head to see, and there, in the middle of his view, was Draco. He was even paler than usual. His eyes lit up when he noticed Harry looking at him and allowed himself a shy smile. Then he turned his attention back to his food. The four of them ate in silence.  
  
When all the students had finished eating Professor Dumbledore got up and cleared his throat.  
  
"Ah... We're gathered here once again. To our first years; Welcome to your first Halloween Ball." The first years, who had been so nervous and quiet earlier that year, all cheered. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he smiled at the young students. He continued. "Since our oldest students are having a dance tonight Professor McGonagall and myself have cooked together a little surprise for the younger ones. We have cast a warming spell on almost all of the schools grounds and are throwing a beachparty by the lake." The stundents applauded. "Swimming will be possible. To you who are a bit scared of the giant squid, I can tell you that he is sleeping tonight after Professor Snape gave him a large dose of sleeping potion disguised as a large fish." Dumbledore laughed again and everyone, even Snape, laughed with him. He snapped his fingers and all the food and left-overs vanished. "Now that we've all finished our meal, the first to fourth years may go to their dormitories to change into swimsuits or something a bit lighter before joining most of the faculty outside. The rest of you just stay here. The band will be on in a minute." He and the rest of the teachers got up from their seats and down off the podium. When they were all off it, Dumbledore turned around and levitated the chairs and tables to the wall so that the podium could act as a stage for the night. Then the most of the teachers left the Great Hall, but Professor Snape, Professor Flitwick and Madame Hooch stayed as chaperones.  
  
Harry turned his head to look at Draco again and grinned quickly at him as the pumpkin band entered the stage. The band started up with a fast song. Draco caught Harry's attention and shook his head. They silently agreed to wait until the band played a slow song. Their eye contact was broken when Ginny came and asked Harry to dance. He said yes and went onto the dance floor with her.  
  
The pumpkins just kept on playing one fast song after the other. Harry began to think that they were torturing him, but after four dances with Ginny, one with Hermione and a little breake the music changed. Harry looked around and located Draco, who was standing alone at the end of the Slytherin table. Harry walked over to him. The few seconds it took Harry to cross the floor seemed like forever to him, but at last he had reached his goal. His own green gaze fused together with Draco's grey.  
  
"Dance with me." Harry reached out his hand for Draco to take.  
  
"Yes." Draco nodded and took the hand that was offered him. Then they walked out onto the dancefloor together. None of them even noticed the stares they got from the other students. They stopped in the middle of the floor and faced each other. Draco put his arms around Harry's waist and Harry placed his arms gently around the blonde's neck. Their bodies started swaying to the music. Draco pulled his boyfriend closer and kissed him on the side of the neck. They danced closely while most of the other students stared at them with shock written all over their faces.  
  
"When the song ends we'll just leave... I'll kiss you and then we'll leave," Draco whispered in Harry's ear.  
  
"Ok," Harry replied, "I want to be alone with you."  
  
They both closed their eyes and just enjoyed the others presence for about a minute before the music stopped. Harry opened his eyes and saw Draco lean towards him. His eyes were still closed and his lips slightly parted. Harry tilted his head a tiny inch to the left the moment before their lips met. They gripped each other tighter as the kiss grew deeper and more passionate. Harry drew unwillingly away.  
  
"Come on. Let's get out of here." He let go of Draco and looked around. For the first time since he took Draco's hand five minutes ago, he noticed the rest of the students. Some looked shocked, some looked disgusted and some even looked happy. Harry couldn't stand being in the centre of everone's attention like that. He grabbed the slender boy's hand again and started to move. "I got to get out of here."  
  
"Me too." Draco looked at Harry and whispered; "Let's go up to one of the towers. No one's up there now." They both started to run.  
  
~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~  
  
Only ten minutes later the two boys were lying side by side on the floor in the highest room of the north tower. They were both crooked from laughing.  
  
"Did you see Pansy's face? I was sure she was going to faint." Draco screwed his face up to a look of total shock and disbelief.  
  
"I know," said Harry between the giggle attacks, "but did you see Ginny? She looked seriously heartbroken."  
  
"I saw her. I felt really sorry for her. I understand her. She has had a major crush on you for years now." Draco shifted onto his back. "I know how I would have felt if a guy I had a crush on turned out to be gay. No wait! I would have liked that! Well, you know what I mean."  
  
"Yeah, I know, D." Harry was on his side supporting the weight of his upper body on one elbow. "I don't know how it feels to be let down in that way, but I bloody well know how it feels when it goes my way." He leaned down and kissed Drao's pale forehead.  
  
"Is that all I get?" said Draco with a hurt, yet tempting look on his face. He even pouted a bit to get the wanted effect. Harry didn't answer. He just leaned down again, close enough to lick the other boy's lips to wet them and kissed him softly. Draco put his arms around the dark haired boy and pulled him down so that Harry was lying on top of him. Their hands were all over the other's body. Draco opened Harry's robes, removed the t-shirt he wore underneath it and began to caress his bare skin.  
  
'I can't believe he's actually doing this,' Harry thought, 'I've been wanting to for ages.' He gave in to the desire to undress Draco and within a couple of minutes they were both naked. Harry stroked his hands over his boyfriend's hair while his back was being rubbed and scratched by slender hands. When Draco's exploring hands reached his butt and massaged and pinched it gently, Harry thrust against his stomach.  
  
"Mmmm... Don't stop, D," panted Harry and slid himself a little higher up the other boy's body. Draco smiled and kissed his boyfriend on the neck. Harry moaned and thrust down again. The Slytherin boy shifted a bit under his lover to let him know how hard he was and that he wanted him. The evidence of Harry's own lust was already throbbing between them.  
  
"I need you, Harry," Draco moaned as he let one finger glide into Harry, who let out a tiny, choked howl.  
  
"Oh... Oh D!" Harry clasped the other boy tightly, Draco's finger still in him.  
  
"I can make it so much better, luv," said Draco in a low, seductive voice, "but you'll have to let me go." He withdrew his finger carefully before his boyfriend let go and got off him. They never let completly go of each other. The blonde got up on his knees and took a hold around his lover's shoulders and kissed him again. Hard, but at the same time soft.  
  
"On all four, Harry. In front of me." Harry got an unsure look on his face, but Draco soothed him. "I promise you it won't hurt, luv. You just have to relax." He planted a kiss on Harry's forehead.  
  
"I trust you, D," Harry said when he turned around and got down on all four.  
  
"Relax now, luv," said the pale boy from behind. Harry relaxed all his muscles. "There you go. Nice..." Draco pushed his cock against Harry's ass for a second before he let it slide all the way in.  
  
Harry let out another little howl. From pleasure, not pain. Draco began to move in him.  
  
~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~  
  
An hour later, the bodies of two teenage wizards were tangled together, covered in sweat. The room smelled of released desire. The blond Slytherin had his head on the dark haired Gryffindor's chest. They were so different, yet so much alike. They belonged together. They loved each other. Both knew, but none dared to say. 


	7. Mahalé

Day Walker  
Disclaimer: I'm just a writer. Most of the characters in my story belongs to JK Rowling. Only Damien and Professor Alexander Crow are mine.  
Summary: A new teacher arrives at Hogwarts and an exciting new subject arrives with him.  
  
~Chapter 7~  
  
~Mahalé~  
Two weeks after the Halloween Ball, things were starting to cool down around Harry and Draco. Some people still called 'fags' or 'queer' at them in the corridors or stared at them when they passed, but most of the students had realised and come to respect that they were a couple. Some had even approached Harry between classes to congratulate him and tell him that they thought he and Draco were brave. It was those people, and Draco, who gave Harry the strength to rise above the comments, but no one said those things to Draco. So he handled it in another manner. And the students in his house was the worst when it came to harassing him.  
  
"Why don't you just ignore them, D? They're only doing that to you to psyche you out. None of your 'friends' from Slytherin treated you like that before you broke away from them and openly started dating me. I'm the one and only reason they're suddenly acting like this. Are they really that important to you? I dare to say that I care more about you than all of them put together. They are so not worth getting depressed over." Harry sounded a bit more harsh than he had intended to, and hoped Draco would understand that he weren't angry at him, but at the people who made his boyfriend depressed.  
  
"They're not important to me at all... And I know that they're not worth it, but I can't help it if I listen to it. It's so hard to ignore. I really don't know how you manage it."  
  
"I manage it because of you and the other people that care about me, and so should you."  
  
"I know that too, luv, but it's so hard. I'm not used to being picked on like I am now. You're so much stronger than me."  
  
"Not to make you feel guilty or anything, but you made me that strong. It took a whole lot of willpower to stand up to you and your former 'fans', you know." Harry laughed and a smile appeared on his boyfriend's face as well.  
  
"I'm so sorry," Draco's face turned a pale shade of pink, "but I sort of have had a crush since our first year here at Hogwarts, and I couldn't think of another way I could get that close to you quite as often." He smiled again. This time with a hint of shyness in it. "Until now, that is."  
  
"Well, it never actually occurred to me at that point. I kind of figured it out though... When you kissed me!" Harry laughed and leaned forward and stroked his boyfriend over the hair.  
  
"Yes!" Draco punched a fist into the air. "That was a part of my plan, you see. He grinned and winked at Harry.  
  
"You were very lucky, you know... That I fell in love with you in spite of the way you treated me." Harry grinned back at Draco and they both started to laugh.  
~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~  
Hermione, Damien, Harry and Draco (A/N: Wee! Initials match!) were on their way from the Dungeon and Potions up to the Great Hall for lunch. It was the first time Draco was with Harry's friends. He was a bit surprised at how welcome, accepted and relaxed he felt in their company. When they passed the magical posting board in the entrance hall Damien noticed a new note. It said:  
  
'The optional subjects are  
  
now starting. Lists to sign  
  
up on will be put up in the  
  
four house's common rooms.  
  
-Headmaster A. Dumbledore '  
"Hmmm..." said Damien, "I wonder what I'm going to choose. What subjects can you choose from here then?"  
  
"Actually..." said Hermione.  
  
"We don't know." Draco and Harry finished her sentence as one. Harry continued. "They sort of change. I've heard some rumours about a completely new subject this semester, but nothing about which teacher who'll teach it, so I'm not sure. If the rumours are true, we'll probably get information on it today. At dinner, most likely."  
  
Harry was right, but the information came earlier that he had expected. Already, after lunch, Dumbledore asked for the student's attention.  
  
"As most of you probably know, the optional subject lists are being put up this afternoon. I apologise for having you wait so long for it this semester, but we had to wait for a new member of the faculty to be released of his former duties. He arrived here this morning and has spent the day getting settled in to his new rooms. May I present," Dumbledore paused, the doors into the Great Hall swung open and a tall, slender man with black, nearly bluish, hair and black eyes entered the room. Dumbledore continued, "Professor Alexander Crow, teacher in Demonic Languages, which is, as you've most likely guessed, our new optional subject."  
  
Professor Crow walked up to the teacher's table, smiling at the students and shaking hands with each of the teachers. He was wearing a set of black robes that were so long that they touched the floor when he walked. They were pinned together at the top by a beautiful small, silver buckle with an intricate pattern of tiny flowers and leaves.  
  
Harry, Hermione, Damien and Draco all noticed that he looked a bit like Snape with short hair. If they removed the smile on Professor Crow's face and replaced it with a smirk, that is. The four of them returned their attention towards the teacher's table again. Professor Crow was about to speak. He cleared his throat.  
  
"Hello. I am, as your headmaster said, the teacher of the new subject Demonic Languages. Not much more to say about that,." He ran his fingers through his short black hair and rubbed the back of his neck for a second. "But I can tell what I've been up to before I came here today." Professor Crow took a deep breath. "Where shall I start? The beginning would be the most logical place, don't you think?" He grinned and continued. "I went to a wizarding school in Ireland from I was 10 years old til I was 17. After that I decided to study Demons and it was during those studies I started to take an interest in Demonic Languages. When I had finished three years there I continued in another university to study Demonic Languages. I had to travel to Australia to find one, but it paid off. There I became a professor in D.L. It was an intensive course and took three years. I spent the next year at the same university, but to get the knowledge I needed to teach D.L. as a starters course, or in your case as an optional subject. "And I know what you're thinking now." He smiled cunningly at the students. "I have spent a larger part of my life in school. But I have actually done something fun too. For a year before I came here this morning, I was in Norway. I had a job as a dragonkeeper at a zoo there. Dragons have been an obsession of mine since I was a kid. And the reason for my late arrival is that I had to wait for the person who was to take over my job. So there you have it, and for you who haven't figured it out; I'm 25 years old. And a Libra if anyone's interested," he added cheerfully. He laughed and most of the students did too. Some of the oldest girls looked at him with admiring gases. Harry could hear them whisper things like 'He's so young' or 'He quite good looking, isn't he?' Harry didn't agree with them. Professor Crow was charming, but he wouldn't have used the phrase 'good looking'.  
"He seems like a nice guy," Harry whispered in Draco's ear. "Let's just hope he'a as nice a teacher."  
"I'm thinking of taking his class so I should hope so," Draco replied.  
"So am I. It sounds interesting." Harry moved a little bit closer to Draco and put his head gently on his shoulder.  
~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~  
The first Demonic Languages class were held the next week. The third-years of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff got that honour. Professor Crow had a lot of work a head of him. A larger part of Hogwarts' students had chose D.L as one of their optional subjects. Among them were Harry, Draco and Damien. Hermione had decided to continue with her old subjects. She figured she would need them more than D.L when she was finished at Hogwarts.  
"I usually never look forward to going to class," said Damien when the three boys were standing outside the Demonic Languages classroom, "but today I do. I'm quite excited actually." He looked at the two boys next to him and got a wondering expression on his face. "You know," he said and stroked his hair back with his right hand, "you two look incredibly good together. You are both blessed with beautiful slender bodies, so that matches, and your eye and hair colour create a contrast between you. It just looks good. You should hold hands too, by the way." Damien reached down and linked their hands together. Then he started to laugh. "I'm a bit hyperactive today, but I don't have to tell you that, do I?"  
"No," Harry smiled at him, "let me guess. You didn't sleep last night?"  
"Ten points to Mr. Potter," Damien held an imaginary microphone up to his mouth. "No, I didn't and I don't know why. I'm just like that some times." He smiled again and began to bob his head to a song only he could hear.  
  
Harry and Draco looked at each other and laughed. At the same time Professor Crow showed up. He let the students into the classroom and let them sit down before he walked up to the teachers desk and sat on the edge of it.  
  
Damien, Draco and Harry had found their seats to the right of the classroom on the third row. Damien was tapping the beat of his own song, and annoying Harry to the verge of insanity.  
"Damien? Can you please stop? It's annoying," said Harry and put his hand over Damien's tapping hand. Harry turned to ask Draco if he agreed, but stopped when he saw his boyfriend's face. Draco stared at the hands of the other boys. The jealousy was written all over his face and his usually grey eyes had turned a shade of greyish-green.  
"What's wrong, Draco? No need to get jealous here, you know," said Harry, answering his own question. He turned his attention towards the front of the classroom. Professor Crow was in the middle of finding out who was present and learning the student's names.  
"Mr. Harry Potter?" Professor Crow looked around the classroom and spotted Harry. "There you are, Mr. Potter, and then you have to be Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Ness, if I'm not mistaken." He smiled at the three boys who just nodded in consent. He called out the rest of the names on his list and sat down. He took up some scrolls from his bag and cleared his throat.  
"Well. You won't need your own books in this class. The books we'll use are in the school library. They arrived the day after me. For you who might develop a special interest in this subject I have some scrolls and private books you can borrow. We won't start on the language today, but I will tell you about the demons whose languages I'll teach you some of this semester. I don't want to try to complete your knowledge on the subject. I wouldn't be able to either even though I tried since this is just optional and we get only two hours a week. My goal is only that some of you might like it and continue to study it later in life. It can become a powerful weapon in the future. But back to the demons. I have selected three quite different demons for you. The Shadow Crawler, the Chareeze Demon and the Whitesnake Demon.  
  
The Shadow Crawlers can disappear in the shadow and look like a shadow at will. They are not dangerous, but can be quite frightening with their big yellow eyes and blue scaly skin, but they are actually quite playful and love to scare people. Their language are very simple. Instead of saying 'I love to scare you' they say 'love scare you', and they have no particular grammar system. They just use the words in the same way in all sentences. Let's take the sentence I used earlier, 'love scare you'. Translated to the Shadow Crawlers' language. Oh. A question. What's you name again?"  
"Dean Thomas, professor. I was just wondering. You refer to the language as 'The Shadow Crawlers' language'. Has it no name of it's own? Like ours is called English, I mean."  
"Actually Dean, it hasn't. Maybe in their language, but not in English. Someone suggested to call it 'Crawlerian', but he was the only one in the wizarding world who thought it was a good idea. So that was dumped. But as I was saying; 'love scare you' translated to the Shadow Crawlers' language is 'mahalé anii delar'. I said that you weren't going to learn anything regarding the language today, but I want you to write this down." Then he got up, grabbed a piece of chalk and wrote the demonic words and their meaning on the blackboard.  
Mahalé - love  
  
Anii - scare  
  
Delar - you  
"As you can hear the Shadow Crawlers' language is softer and more beautiful then you'd expect. You'll get what I've said about the demons on a scroll next week, one copy for each of you, but please try to remember it anyway." He put away some scrolls that obviously contained information on the Shadow Crawlers. "There we go." Professor Crow folded his hands and put them on the desktop. "Let's go on to the other demons I've chosen. First we have the Chareeze demon. This demon is quite rare. We don't know much about it or its language, but I'm going to teach you the little that is known. It's mostly basics like 'food', 'hunt' or 'kill'. The Chareeze demon is small, brown and furry. Looks much like a small grizzly bear. It can be dangerous to humans if it feels threatened, but other than that it doesn't pose much of a threat to us. As I said we don't know much about it. That's one of the reasons why I chose this demon, and the previous one. Their languages are easy to learn, and they're so completely different, because the Chareeze's language is dark and growly, in comparrasent to the Shadow Crawlers'. The last demon I've selected will not be that easy. The Whitesnake demon is a tricky one. It looks a lot like humans most of the time except that their eyes are totally black, their skin is milky-white and they have fangs. It might sound like I'm describing a vampire," Damien stiffened for a second, but regained control quickly, "but they're not. Far from it. This demon can take the form of a snake. A large white snake. When they are in their snake form they are poisonous and speak only Parseltongue. I've heard some rumours that one of you has got that gift." Everyone's eyes turned to Harry. 'Gift?' he thought, 'more of a curse if you ask me.' But he still raised his hand. "That someone is me, professor, but I would hardly call it a gift."  
"Ah," the professor pointed at Harry, "but it is. Especially when it comes to these demons. In their, shall I say, human form they're using vocal chords to speak, with some interruptions from hissing, but in their snake form they use their tongues to hiss. Sometimes they shift shape to avoid communication, they're quite intelligent these creatures. That's where the brilliance of being able to speak Parseltongue comes in."  
"I see," said Harry, "but people's view of Parselmouths are not exactly nice. They don't see it as a gift."  
"You're right, Mr. Potter, but keep this in mind; It might come in handy. But that was a small diversion. The Whitesnake's language is more complicated than both of the other demons' It's a mix of the beautiful and melodic sound that the Shadow Crawlers use and the hard and growly sound of the Chareeze demon, but I'll try to teach you as much as of it as I can during this semester and might continue next semester. Any questions?"  
A Slytherin boy with red hair and rat like eyes raised his hand. "How complicated is it? I mean, has their language got as many words as ours and do they have a grammar system like we do?"  
"Yes and yes. The Whitesnake demon has an incredible vocabulary. Most demonic languages has few words and a quite primitive grammar system, but the Whitesnake's language has developed alongside most of the modern languages that humans use." Professor Crow looked at the magical clock over the classroom door. The female clock smiled and said: "3.45pm"  
"Class is dismissed in five minutes. Since this is your last class of the day I wish you all a good evening." The professor smiled at the students. "You can go now." He sat down and gathered his things while the students left the room.  
Harry and Draco left last. Damien went ahead of them to give them some time alone to talk.  
"What was up with you in there, D? You looked like you were about to kill Damien. Don't even try to deny that you were jealous. Your eyes were nearly as green as mine. But why?" Harry stared at the blonde boy with a sad look in his eyes.  
"You touched him.. You touched his hand like you some times touch mine. So I got jealous." Draco looked down at his feet.  
"Oh D. You silly little boy. It didn't mean anything. I was just stopping him from tapping his annoying beat." Harry put his arm around Draco's waist and started to walk up the corridor. Draco was quiet until they reached the staircases up to the Gryffindor's tower and down to the Slytherin's dungeon.  
"Harry?" The pale, slender boy turned to face his boyfriend.  
"Mm-hm."  
"I know it didn't mean anything, but I just freaked. It's because I. Well. I." He leaned forward, gave Harry a long kiss and whispered in his ear: "Because I. Ummm. I. Mahalé delar" Draco stepped away from a shocked Harry and smiled.  
"Erm." Harry couldn't get out a single word, even though he wanted to. 'I love you too,' his mind screamed, but his mouth said nothing.  
"Ummm."  
"Don't worry, luv." Draco smiled again. "I know." And then he went down the stairs to his dormitory and left his boyfriend standing there like he was struck by lightning.  
As Draco's shape disappeared down the stairs Harry heard his own voice whisper softly: "I love you too, D." 


	8. Excluded

Day Walker  
  
Disclaimer: Only Professor Crow and Damien are mine. The other characters belong to JK Rowling.  
  
Summary: Lucius Malfoy finds out about his son's gay relationship with the boy-who-lived  
  
Warning: Some light slash and a little hot scene...  
  
Author's note: I have to warn everyone about some bad grammar... My beta seems to have abandoned me, and I couldn't wait any longer. Hope you'll be patient with me... I'll try to reach her by the time the next chapter is ready for posting.  
  
~Chapter 8~  
  
~ Excluded~  
  
Damien was sitting in an armchair in the Gryffindor commonroom reading a book when Harry came through the portrait hole after his little talk with Draco.  
  
"Parseltongue, eh?" Damien looked up from his book. "I'm not the only one with secrets." Harry sat down in a sofa next to Damien.  
  
"I didn't mean not to tell you... I just sorta forgot."  
  
At first Damien looked a bit hurt, but then he laughed. "Nevermind, Harry. It's fun to be different. What's 'Mione's secret then? Is she part Banshee or something?"  
  
"No," Harry answered. "She's muggleborn. I don't know if you already knew. Everyone in school knows, but she's a bit careful when it comes to telling new witches or wizards she meets because of how they might react."  
  
"She's just like us then. None of us wants to reveal ourselves to the public. And by the way, I didn't know." He looked down at his book again for a second before he closed it and grinned at Harry. "Now, I'm going to change the subject and ask you what I'm really wondering. Why did your siginifigant other get so jealous in class earlier?"  
  
"He got jealous because of the way I touched your hand." Harry paused, drew his breath and pushed a lock of untidy black hair away from his face. "I sometimes touch him like that, you see, but when I touch him it's love in it."  
  
"Do you love him?" Damien tilted his head slightly to the left.  
  
"Yes... I do... I really do! Oh god... I can tell you just like that, but I can't even say it back to him. I am such an idiot!" Harry put his head in his hands.  
  
"He told you that he loves you?"  
  
Harry nodded.  
  
"Wow," said Damien and raised one eyebrow. "That's quite a big step. Sure you're ready for this, Harry?"  
  
"Yes, I am, or at least I think so. I know what I feel for him and what he feels for me and that's enough for now." Harry straightened up and smiled at the other boy.  
  
"I guess you're right. That's all that matters."  
  
"I got to go now. Need to take a shower before dinner." Harry ran his fingers through his hair and went up the stairs and into the boys' bathroom. He got a towel from a cupboard, stepped into one of the showers, closed the curtain and fastened it with a quick, yet complicated, locking spell. He got undressed and put his clothes and wand on a high shelf in the corner the farthest from the shower head to keep them from getting wet. He turned on the water and waited for it to get hot enough. When it had reached the right temperature he stepped into the spray and let the soothing water run over and soak his entire body. He took a piece of scented soap from from a tiny shelf in the shower, and ran it across his chest and stomach. The sweet smell of lavender filled his nostrils. Long muscles played under his wet soap covered skin. 'I wish I wasn't doing this alone,' he thought while his hand with the piece of soap travelled further down his body to the soft curls just below his navel. The soap fell to the floor and his fingers played with the curls. His other hand grabbed his dick and caressed it until it rose to it's full size. He began to pump it energeticly. All the muscles in his body tensed up. He let out a little moan as he thought: 'This won't take long.' His hand pumped harder and faster as Harry's desire reached the top. He moaned again and his hips thrust agaist his own hand when he came as a storm, all over his hand and the wall in the shower. Harry took a few seconds to catch his breath before he rinsed away the rest of the soap on his body, grabbed his towel and wrapped it around his waist. He took his clothes and wand down from the shelf and unlocked the shower-curtain.  
  
"Was it good?" Damien was leaned up against the wall to Harry's right.  
  
"Oh!" Harry felt himself go red. It spread from the tip of his toes to the top of his head. "Oh my god! How long have you been in here?"  
  
"Well, for about five minutes." Damien sniffed the air. "Mmmm... Lavender. Sexy. But you didn't answer my question. Was it good?"  
  
"Ummm... Yes, but I didn't mean... I didn't mean for... For anyone to see."  
  
"I didn't see anything besides your shadow. But I did hear and smell you."  
  
"Smell?" Harry ws surprised.  
  
"I have a vampire's sense of smell. Another little nifty thing I've inherited from my mum."  
  
Harry felt a tingling feeling deep inside at the thought of Damien smelling his lust. He looked at the other boy. He wasn't wearing his robes, just a pair of muggle trousers that hug loosely around his legs and a tight t- shirt. Harry's eyes moved down to the other boy's crotch. Harry's eyes moved to the other boy's crotch. There it was a very visible lump. He suddenly felt very courageous.  
  
"By the looks of it I weren't the only one who enjoyed it." He felt the redness fade away and he smiled teasingly at Damien.  
  
"No," replied Damien. "I enjoyed it too. I like you. I mean, who wouldn't? You're good looking. You're a nice person, easy to talk to. And on top of that, you're gay. Which is a very big plus, in my book at least. Draco's one lucky guy." He suddenly turned bright red and ran out of the bathroom, and Harry had been left shocked and alone for the second time that day. 'Damn,' Harry thought. 'When did I become Mr. Popularity?' He got dressed quickly, went into his room and fetched a small leather inbound book and a pencil from his trunk. The little book had the words 'Journal' written in silver on its cover. Harry went down to the common room to spend some time alone and gather his thoughts. He found a big, fluffy armchair in a corner. He opened his journal. It was filled with poetry and ramblings from times when he had been depressed and from when his love for Draco was still unrequited. He had drawn a lot in it as well. He had drawn pictures of all his friends, one of Cedric that he had done right after Voldemort killed him and a few of his parents. He had only seen them in pictures so the drawings were more or less copies of some of his photographies. 'BONK!' The book fell to the floor. Its pages turned like some non-existent wind blew them over. Suddenly they stopped turning and settled on the page where Harry had drawn a picture of a boy leaning up against a brick wall. It was Draco. The drawing was not finished. It was still a sketch. Harry remembered exactly when he had drawn it. It had been in the beginning of his fourth year.  
  
Flashback  
  
Harry was sitting on the floor in a corner of the Entrance Hall working on an essay Professor Flitwick had given them. He looked up when he heard a door slam shut. It was Draco. He stopped, put his back against the wall and leaned back. He dropped his bag and relaxed. 'He's so gorgeous,' Harry thought. He couldn't take his eyes off the blonde. He reached into his bag and took out his journal and a pencil. It didn't take him long to find an empty page and start to draw. 'Please don't go. Please don't go. Please don't go.' Harry sketched quickly to get Draco's basic features onto the paper before he moved. He had nearly finished the sketch, he was only missing the legs from the knees down, when Draco started to walk towards the door that lead outside.  
  
"No!" Harry let out his thoughts in a semi-loud yell. Draco turned around and looked at Harry. His face showed signs of surprise. He, obviously, hadn't seen him there. Harry didn't know if it really happened or if it was wishful thinking of his own, but he thought he could see a smile on the Slytherin's face. 'Don't leave. I have to finish my drawing,' he thought, but off course Draco couldn't read his mind, and ledt the Entrance Hall. Leaving Harry in the corner with his unfinished drawing.  
  
End flashback  
  
'Too bad,' Harry thought, picked up his journal and looked at the rough drawing.  
  
"Hmmm.? I wonder.?" He took out his pencil and started to smooth out the lines on drawing-Draco's face. The pencil slid quickly over the paper, evening out edges and adding shadows to make the face come more to life.  
  
An hour later he was still sitting in the armchair. His eyes were pinned to the page. He didn't pay attention to anything else but his drawing, so his got startled when he suddenly heard Hermione's voice close to his ear.  
  
"Harry? We have to get down to diner. What are you doing anyway?" She looked over his shoulder. "You draw. I didn't know that you were an artist."  
  
"I know you didn't. I haven't told anyone. It's one of my ways to get out my frustration and feelings." Harry took his pencil away from the paper to keep it from making unwanted lines on the drawing.  
  
"Oh. I see." Hermione took another look at the boy in Harry's book. "It's Draco, isn't it?"  
  
"Yes, it is. I drew it in a hurry early in our fourth year. I've finished it today. Until an hour ago it was just a sketch." Harry smiled carefully and closed his journal. He put it in a large pocket inside his robes.  
  
"Well, it's certainly not a sketch anymore. Harry, the drawing's beautiful." She smiled at him and put her arm around his shoulders. "Come on. Let's get down to dinner. I'm dead hungry." Harry grinned back and they left the commonroom together.  
  
Harry met Draco after dinner. He didn't say anything about what Damien had told him that afternoon. He didn't want to make his boyfriend jealous.  
  
"I'm sorry about not saying. It back. You caught me by surprise. I do love you, I just." Then it dawned on him what he had just said.  
  
"Do you mean that, Harry? Do you love me?" Draco smiled at his boyfriend.  
  
"Yes, I do. I wanted to tell you earlier, but my lips refused to form the words."  
  
"I know, luv. I saw it in your eyes."  
  
"Thank you. For understanding me." Harry smiled.  
  
Draco leaned forward and kissed Harry tenderly. "You're welcome. I have to go downstairs now and get some sleep. I'm so extremely tired."  
  
"I'll have to let you do that then," said Harry and grinned. "Have a good night, D. See you tomorrow at breakfast."  
  
"Okay. Good night." Then they went their separate ways for the night.  
  
~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~  
  
When Harry came into the Great Hall the next morning Draco hadn't come down yet, but after just five minutes he came through the door with a pleased look on his face. He even stopped by the Gryffindor table to give Harry a good morning kiss. He had never done that before.  
  
"What's got into you this morning, D?" Harry grinned widely.  
  
"Just woke up this morning and was happy. Just happy..." Draco kissed his boyfriend's forehead and headed for the Slytherin table. Little did he know that his good mood would be shattered in a short while.  
  
After about fifteen minutes, the air were filled by the sound of numerous owls flying under the bewitched ceiling of the Hall. Harry didn't get any mail that morning and turned his attention back to his breakfast, but then he heard a loud, shocked sound coming from the Slytherin table. The only word Harry could catch in all the noise were 'howler'. 'Hmmm...' thought Harry. 'I wonder who's got one of those?' His question was answered about a second after the thought had left his mind. When the voice of Lucius Malfoy rung through the Hall like thunder.  
  
"DRACO THOMAS MALFOY!" The death eater's voice was amplified by the howler. "ARE YOU MINGLING WITH THE ENEMY, YOU TRAITOROUS BOY? YOUR ANCESTORS MUST BE TURNING IN THEIR GRAVES! A MALFOY IN A GAY RELATIONSHIP WITH A GRYFFINDOR BOY. AND NOT JUST ANY BOY. THE GOD DAMNED BOY-WHO-BLOODY-LIVED!" The voice paused for a second as though its owner tried to regain his self- control. If that was the case, it didn't work. The yelling continued. "YOU CAN JUST FORGET TO COME BACK HOME. I REALLY DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE MY ONLY HEIR. YOU ARE NOT WELCOME AT THE MANSION AGAIN. YOUR CLOTHES AND PERSONAL ITEMS FROM YOUR ROOM WILL BE BE OWLED TO YOUR SCHOOL." Then, silence fell in the Great Hall. Utter and total silence ruled until it was shattered by the sound of breaking glass as Draco threw his plate in the wall. Pansy had got up from her seat and walked over to Draco while the howler delivered its message. She stood behind him and put her hand on his shoulder.  
  
He turned around like a frightened animal and shouted: "Get your hands off me, you unsufferable whore! I can't stand you or the feeling of your fithy hands on my body. Don't ever touch me again!" His face was covered in fallen tears. Draco got up and ran from the Hall as fast as his legs could carry him. Harry jumped up, he nearly knocked Seamus of the bench, and ran after his boyfriend. Harry stormed out of the door and looked around the Entrance Hall. At first he couldn't find Draco, but then he heard a halfway choked sob coming from a corner, the very corner were Harry had been sitting when he drew Draco. The crying Slytherin raised his head and looked at Harry wth eyes, filled with tears. His knees were pulled up to his chin like a sitting fetal position. Harry sat down next to him and put his arms around the shaking boy.  
  
"He... He... Excluded me!" Draco got out between sobs.  
  
"I know, D. I know." Harry stroked his boyfriend's soft, blonde hair. The Slytherin let all his guards down and allowed his tears to run freely. Harry pulled him close so that his head rested on his shoulder. After a while Draco stopped shaking and sobbing so violently. A few minutes later, Harry heard the door from the Great Hall open for a brief moment, followed by Dumbledore's voice.  
  
"Let's go out through the backdoor, students." Harry heard the sound of feet moving away from them. Draco's body started to shake again. Harry took a even firmer hold of his boyfriend and continued to stroke his hair.  
  
"It'll be okay," Harry whispered softly. "We'll figure out a way to work this out. You'll be allright."  
  
~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~  
  
They didn't go to any classes that day. They just sat there in the corner. Both students and teachers walked past them, but none asked any questions.  
  
After a long time, the sunlight faded and the house-elves came out through hidden doors in the walls and lit the torches besides them. Harry loosened his grip on the other boy a little.  
  
"Maybe you should go to bed, D, and then you can talk to Dumbledore or something in the morning." He kissed the other boy's forhead tenderly.  
  
Draco took a deep breath, looked at Harry and said: "I don't want to be alone." He drew his breath deeply again. "Harry?"  
  
"Yes, D..."  
  
"Can I sleep in your bed tonight? I don't want to be alone."  
  
"You won't have to be. Not tonight. I'll have to go upstairs and get my Invisibility Cloak."  
  
Draco nodded. "Hurry, please."  
  
"I will." Harry kissed him gently and then ran up the staircases to the Gryffindor tower. He gasped out the password to the Fat Lady, got inside, ran up to his dormitory, fetched the Cloak and ran back down to Draco. Only a few minutes had passed since he left him.  
  
"Come on, D. Let's go. I'll put the Cloak over you when we get near the entrance to the commonroom. Draco nodded. He got to his feet and walked next to Harry across the Hall and upstairs. Harry stopped when they reached the last bend of the corridor before the entrance. He pulled his Invisibility Cloak out from his robes and put it over Draco.  
  
"Just walk right behind me as quiet as you can." Draco did as he had been told and nearly held his breath, afraid to make a sound.  
  
"Lionhearts," said Harry to the Fat Lady.  
  
"Password correct," she replied and swung open. Harry climbed through with Draco only a feet or two behind him. Thw two of them walked straight through the commonroom and up the stairs to the boys' dormitories. Harry said 'good night' to some of the boys in his dorm before he and Draco climbed into his fourposter bed and closed the curtains so that no one could see them. Draco removed the Cloak and put it in a corner of the bed. Both of the boys removed all their clotehs except their underwear and got under the covers. Harry layed behind Draco with one arm around his waist. The blonde Slytherin snuggled up as close as possible. Relaxed into the warmth behind him.  
  
"Thank you, luv," said Draco just before he fell asleep.  
  
"Anytime, D. Anytime." Harry kissed Draco's soft pale neck and fell asleep himself. 


	9. Keys And Tokens Of Love

Day Walker  
  
Disclaimer: I only own Damien and Professor Crow, so don't sue me. Then I'll fetch my imaginary lawyers and sue you back! ^-^  
  
Summary: Draco's mum shows that she cares about him.  
  
Warning: Boys in love with boys. If you have anything against that or the Harry/Draco-pairing, then go away and read something else.  
  
Author's note: I think I might need a new beta... I can't post anymore self- corrected chapters. If anyone's interested, please send me a mail and mark it 'beta-reading'.  
  
~Chapter 9~  
  
~Keys and Tokens of Love~  
  
Harry woke up early the morning after. He smiled to himself when he saw the calm and peaceful face of his sleeping boyfriend. He took a quick look out on the room behind the curtains. The light told him that it was just barely dawn, and that he didn't have to wake Draco up for another hour. Harry pulled the covers up so that he could heat up Draco's, and his own, cold shoulders. He kissed Draco's relaxed, slightly parted lips and snuggled up as close to his boyfriend as possible. He didn't go entirely back to sleep. He simply laid there, and breathed in the sweet smell of boy. The next time he looked out from the bed, the dormitory was bathed in the soft rays of the morning sun. 'I have to wake him up now,' Harry thought. 'I really don't want to, but he. Or we, have leave now.' He lifted his head and supported it with one hand, and reached out the other to stroke Draco's cheek.  
  
"Wake up, sleepyhead," Harry whispered in his ear and kissed his earlobe lightly. The blonde started to purr in a slightly muffled way. The purring stopped and he opened his eyes. He looked at Harry with a confused look in his eyes, but then he blinked a couple of times and brought himself back from the land of dreams, and the confusion was replaced by gratefulness, then sadness.  
  
"Good morning, luv," said Draco in a low, husky voice.  
  
"Good morning. Slept well?" Harry smiled, and his boyfriend returned it.  
  
"Never slept better. I was thinking. Umm. Maybe I should leave before your roommates wake up."  
  
"I was thinking the same thing. Even though they're okay with us being together and all, I don't think they would appreciate the mental image they'll get from the sight of us together in bed. Most of them, at least," he added with a smile. So let's get dressed and go down for breakfast."  
  
"Okay," Draco replied, "but I just want to snuggle for another ten minutes."  
  
"Your wish is my command." Harry smiled and laid down on his back. Draco shifted onto his stomach and put his head on Harry's chest and one leg over his. After a few minutes Draco started purring again. Harry put both arms around his boyfriend, and just enjoyed his presence for a while longer.  
  
Twenty minutes later, the two boys were one their way down the stairs, heading for the Great Hall and breakfast.  
  
"Oh! I just remembered that I have an essay on healing herbs that's due this morning. Just have to run down to the dungeons to get it. You can come if you like?" Draco looked at his boyfriend with a look that said 'Come and see where I live.'  
  
"Sure. I've actually been down there once before, you know, but that was in our second year. It might have changed since then." Draco didn't ask any question about Harry's earlier visit to the dungeons and Harry was grateful for that. He didn't want him to know that he had tricked him like that. And as Harry said, the dungeons had surely changed. The whole common room was rebuildt. It was still in the good old Dark-Ages-Slytherin-ish kind of style, but there had been put up a wall to screen the studyers from the others and it was much brighter, without ruining that feeling of darkness because of all the shadows in the corners. Harry liked the look of it, but what really caught his eye were the new window. A wide passageway had been dug out and a tiny staircase went up to the window about six feet up. Where the windowstill were supposed to have been, there was a couch. The couch was covered with scatter cusions and looked really comfortable. Suddenly, Harry was yanked out of his admiration.  
  
"I've got my essay, and by the way." He took a deep breath. "All my stuff has arrived from the mansion. He sure is a busy little bee, my father." Draco tried to smile, but failed. His eys filled up with tears. He blinked them away and put on his brave face again. "But I don't want to talk - or think about that now. I'm hungry. And besides, I need to get you out of here before the others wake up and see that I've brought you in here. They'd kill us both."  
  
"And that wouldn't be any fun," Harry answered with a smile. He took his boyfriend's hand and they left the Slytherin's commonroom.  
  
When the two boys reached the Great Hall not many students had got there yet. A couple of second year Hufflepuffs arrived just after them, but other than that, only Madame Hooch and Professor Crow were in the room.  
  
"Shall we just sit down and wait for the food to pop up?" Draco grinned at Harry.  
  
"Sure. Here comes the crowd anyway so." Harry cast a look towards the door and all the students coming through it. Draco leaned into Harry and gave him a deep kiss. Harry returned the kiss and traced the line of the blonde's lower lips as they pulled apart.  
  
"Have a nice breakfast, D." His voice was low, merely a whisper. He smiled at Draco and walked towards the Gryffindor table. Behind him he heard the other boy let out a little, high-pitched moan and then the replie:  
  
"You're mean! You know that, right?" Harry cast a look over his shoulder and grinned. Draco pouted and sat down by his house's table.  
  
Harry sat with Damien and Hermione that morning, as all other mornings. Damine said 'hi' when he sat down, but other than that he was quiet.  
  
"What's up with you tow?" Hermione broke the silence. "It's not like any of you to be this quiet. Harry, what's wrong?"  
  
I think you should ask Damien. I'm really not the one to tell you, 'Mione." Harry looked at her with eyes that said: 'I know, but I'm not telling.'  
  
"Okay. Damien?" She turned to face the boy next to her.  
  
"Can we please not talk about this here?" His pale cheeks took on a nice shade of pink. "It's quite personal. Remind me, and I'll tell you later today. Is that okay?" He talked to her, but his eyes were fixed on Harry throughout his last sentence.  
  
"Sure." She took a large bite of her toast. "Oh," she said. Her voice was muffled by the food in her mouth. "Mail's here." The three of them didn't get any mail, but Harry looked over to the Slytherin table and saw that a large grey owl was perched on the back of Draco's chair. Draco gave the owl a cracker and it flew away. 'I wonder what he got today," thought Harry. "I won't ask. If he want me o know, he'll tell me.' He didn't have to wait for long. Draco came over to the Gryffindor table.  
  
"Can you please come outside and open this with me?" He held out a letter. "It's from my mother."  
  
"Of course I can, D. Straight away?"  
  
"Preferably, yeah." Draco nodded while he spoke.  
  
"Okay." Harry adressed Hermione and Damien. "Bye guys. I'll see you in class later."  
  
"Yep." Hermione smiled at the two boys. "Bye Harry. Bye Draco."  
  
Damien said 'bye' without even looking at them.  
  
Draco grabbed Harry's hand and they left the Hall. They walked out into the school grounds, until the reached the place where they used to meet early in their relationship. The ground was wet from some rain that had fallen during the night. Draco let go of his boyfriend's hand and held up the letter.  
  
"You open it, Harry. I don't dare."  
  
Harry took it from Draco's hand and opened it. In the envelope there was a letter and a key. He took out both and gave the key to its owner.  
  
"It. It's the key to my vault at Gringott's. Can you read me the letter, please?" The Slytherin just stared at his key.  
  
"Sure." Harry unfolded the parchment. The handwriting was very feminine and it was obvious that each letter had been written very carefully. He cleared his throat and started to read.  
  
"To my dear, dear Draco. 24th. November  
  
I really hate your father for what he has done, but you know that I can not bend or change his decision when he's made his mind up. But I can, however, help you out. As you've probably already seen, I've sent you the key to your vault, and I went to Gringott's myself yesterday and put some money in your vault. I've been saving since you were five years old. I intended to help you buy your first apartment or house, so I thought it might come in handy now. I want you to know that I love you, no matter how you choose to live your life. So if your choice is to be with Harry Potter, then so be it. I've always thought he seemed like such a sweet boy. And cute too!"  
  
Harry drew his breath and felt his cheeks turn red. He continued.  
  
"I wish you both the best of luck. You deserve to be happy, Draco. I have to quit now. Your father's coming home any minute and he won't be happy if he sees what I'm doing. I love you so much, my son. Take good care of yourself.  
  
Lots of hugs from your mother."  
  
Harry looked up from the letter and his eyes met Draco's. They were filled with tears, but he was smiling.  
  
"She thinks you're cute. Not that I don't agree with her though. It's just funny that my mother, the wife of one of Voldemort's most devoted servants, thinks that you, the boy-who-lived, is cute." The tears had disappeared from his eyes, and he started to laugh. Suddenly, Harry saw the irony of it all and laughed with his boyfriend. When the two boys had regained their self-controle, Harry handed the letter and envelope to Draco. He folded the letter back together, put it back into the envelope and stuffed it in a pocket in his robes. Then he took of the silver chain he wore around his neck and attached the key to it.  
  
"There!" Draco said, while he put the chain back around his neck. "Now I won't lose it." He smiled.  
  
Harry smiled back. "How are you feeling now, D? Do you think you can handle this? Being alone, I mean."  
  
"I'm feeling surprisingly well actually. Now I know that my mum gives a fuck. That's a first." He smiled shortly. "When it comes to being alone, I don't have to deal with that quite yet, do I?" He looked at Harry. His eyes were filled with love.  
  
"No. You don't have to deal with that yet." The dark haired-boy leaned forward and kissed his blond boyfriend gently. "You're beautiful, Draco," he whispered. "Honestly. You're the most beautiful being I've ever laid my eyes on." He kissed the other boy's pink lips one more time. Draco didn't say anything, he just put his arm around Harry and held him really tight. 


	10. Newfound Knowledge

Day Walker  
  
Disclaimer: I own only Damien and Professor Crow. I can only dream about owning the others. ^-^  
  
Summary: Harry gets some usefull information from an unexpected source.  
  
Warning: This story is still slash. *Snigger*  
  
Author's note: Ten chappies! Who would have thought I'd get this far? Not me, at least. I thought I would grow tired by number five. ^-^ Thanks for all the lovely reviews, guys. It means alot to me when I read them and I've actually given you the same feeling I got when I wrote it. There has been some flames here and there, but I won't let them get me down. (If you don't like my writing, then for God's sake stop reading!) Again, thank you! Lots of thanks and hugs to my new beta, Whitney! I'm soooo grateful!  
  
~Chapter 10~  
  
~Newfound Knowledge ~  
  
Another week went by and Harry was so proud of his Draco's ability to cope with his newly acquired independence. The two of them talked about it to the minimal, but it occurred. The other students never even mentioned it.  
  
Hermione told Harry that Damien had explained the shower incident to her, and she started being more patient about the awkward silence between them. That silence had begun to disappear. The two dark-haired boys could talk about ordinary things like classes and Quidditch, but they didn't dare go near subjects that had anything to do with Draco or love. Harry both accepted, and expected that.  
  
What he didn't expect was what happened when he was on his way to the boy's bathroom between Charms and Divination.  
  
"Harry?" Blaise Zabini's voice called him from about fifteen feet away. Blaise was a Slytherin, but he had never acted meanly towards Harry or his friends. So he didn't see any harm in finding out what he wanted.  
  
"Hi Blaise. You wanted to talk to me ? Wouldn't your friends use an Unforgivable on you if they saw you conversing with the enemy?" Harry tried not to sound suspicious, yet something told him that he didn't have to be.  
  
"Yeah. They probably would." Blaise smiled. "But I just have to tell you something."  
  
"I see. And that is.?"  
  
"Well, it's Draco's birthday this Saturday."  
  
Harry's jaw dropped.  
  
"Yeah. I suspected you didn't know. He pretends to despise birthdays; never tells anyone about them. But secretly he loves the attention he gets, and to shower the ones he loves with presents on their day." He smiled again. "The guys and I have thrown him a party before, but we're supposed to hate him now, you know. Especially after that dreadful Gregory Goyle chose to be the new 'leader' of our so-called gang. I despise Goyle. He's a stuck up snob who's used to getting what he wants. You can see why he's so pissed off that he couldn't get Draco. For the first time in his life he got 'no' for an answer, and we both know how that went. But I don't hate Draco. I want you to tell him that. I also want to say that I'm happy for the two of you. I'm kind of on your team myself." Again, he smiled, but that time it was a shy smile.  
  
"Oh." That was all Harry could say.  
  
"I understand that you're a little surprised by this. I would be too if it had been the other way around. But I have to go now. Tell Draco that he only needs to give me a sign and I'll be there for him." Blaise sighed. "And I will get him something for his birthday, but tell him that. It's a surprise."  
  
"I will and I won't," said Harry when his tongue worked again. "Thank you for telling me this, Blaise. I won't forget it. You're an okay guy. I've begun to see that not all Slytherins are crap, but some are better or worse, than others. Draco helped me realise that."  
  
The two boys said 'goodbye' and went their seperate ways. Harry, to the bathroom, and Blaise, off to Herbology in Greenhouse Three.  
  
'Saturday,' thought Harry. 'That's December 7th. It's only four days away. Damn! I'm running out of time fast.' Harry kept on thinking about what he was going to get Draco. He thought about getting him something for school, but threw it away. His mind drifted by a number of subjects and items, but nothing felt right. 'I'll never find something in time,' he thought when he was sitting in an armchair in Professor Trelawney's classroom. That day, they were staring aimlessly into crystal balls, and Trelawney was, as usual, claiming to see Harry's death lurking in every shadow.  
  
Harry yawned while he continued to stare into the clear ball of glass on the table in front of him. Suddenly, a pink haze appeared at the ball's centre. In the blink of an eye, Harry was wide awake. 'I wish 'Mione was here. Or Damien for that matter.' Harry was the only one of his tight knit group that had Divination. Hermione had chose Muggle Studies in stead, Damien had chosen Art, and Slytherin had that particular class directly after the Gryffindors. 'I wish I had taken Art class instead,' Harry, silently, said to himself. 'This freaks me out.' The same second, the pink haze got bigger and began to take the shape of something. It turned into a necklace, a wrist-chain and a dark blood-red rose. Harry stared at the foggy image in awe for a couple of seconds before the loud voice of Professor Trelawney rung through the room like high-pitched thunder.  
  
"There, there! I can see that you see something, Mr. Potter." She hurried over to the little, round table where he sat, alone. 'Go away!' Harry thought to the haze, and it did. The image faded and by the time the professor came over, only a little pink cloud lingered in the centre of the crystal ball.  
  
"I lost it." Harry smiled shortly at the woman with the too large glasses.  
  
"Well, that happens," she said, but something in her voice revealed that she didn't quite believe him. "What was it you saw?"  
  
"Nothing much. Mostly just pink fog, and it turned blue once," he lied. He knew perfectly well what he had seen. 'That's settled then. Maybe I should me one of these,' he thought while Trelawney was ranting something about the fog being the beginning of an image. He muttered a vague answer and she walked over to an other student who had a question. The second she turned away, the haze started to move again. It took the same shape as before. 'Ha! I've got it now,' Harry thought. 'That's what Draco wants for his birthday.' The image got blurry and dissolved into nothing. The crystal ball was see-through again. Not a trace of the pink fog remained. Harry smiled and decided to take a trip down to Hogsmead the next day. That was generally not allowed on a school night, but as the proud owner of an Invisibility Cloak he could sneak out after his afternoon classes without anyone ever knowing. Or, to avoid getting into trouble, he could just talk to Dumbledore and explain things to him. Harry chose to try the latter.  
  
He took a trip to Dumbledore's office before lunch. The Gargoyle guarding the door jumped away and the door swung open when Harry spoke the password, 'Lemon Drop.' He went up the revolving staircases and up to the door into the Headmaster's office. He knocked gently on the wood.  
  
"Come in, Harry!" Dumbledore's voice sounded from inside the office. He always knew who was coming.  
  
"Hello, professor," Harry said.  
  
"What brought you up here, son?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
"I have to ask you something."  
  
The Headmaster nodded.  
  
"Well, it's Draco's birthday this Saturday and I really want to get him something, but to do so I'll have to go to Hogsmead tomorrw. And I know what you're going to ask..." said Harry to keep the professor from asking. "I couldn't do it last weekend because I found out just two hours ago. And I can't wait until Friday because I'm going to get something engraved on the gifts. So I was wondering if you could grant me permission to go down there after my afternoon classes tomorrow." Harry drew his breath and looked at the professor.  
  
"Well." Dumbledore stroked Fawkes the Pheonix with one hand. "I understand your problem, Harry, and I'm going to let you go to Hogsmead. IF you bring Hagrid. I don't want the other students or teachers to think that I excuse you from all the rules, now would we?" His blue eyes sparkled.  
  
"Sure! I understand that. And thank you! I won't ask anything like this again, but as I said, didn't know until today."  
  
"It's okay. I can understand your desire to buy your boyfriend a nice present for his birthday. Don't worry about that, but I trust you to keep you word and not ask me anything like this again. Because between you and me; I do tend to be a little too loose on the reins with you and your friends." The Headmaster smiled again.  
  
"I'll keep my word. Cross my heart." Harry drew a tiny cross over his heart with his index finger.  
  
"Good! Now, go down and eat lunch, and then you can let Rubeus know. I think he'll be happy to join you tomorrow."  
  
"I think so too." Harry turned and walked towards the door. "Thanks again, Professor Dumbledore."  
  
"You're welcome, Harry." Dumbledore smiled as Harry disappeared out the door.  
  
~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~  
  
Harry met Draco at lunch, being sure not to mention his newfound knowledge. They talked about normal things and, as Blaise had foreshadowed, Draco didn't say anything about his birthday. And neither did Harry. After lunch, Harry walked up to the teacher's table to talk to Hagrid. He explained the situation to him and told him that Dumbledore had agreed. The half-giant agreed to go with him and they decided to meet in the Entrance Hall when afternoon classes had ended.  
  
A/N: I know that this was a short chapter, but the next one is very much on the way. ^-^ 


	11. Who Told You!

Day Walker  
  
Disclaimer: Damien and Professor Crow are the only ones that belong to me.  
  
Summary: Draco's special day.  
  
Warning: This is still slash. Male slash.  
  
Author's note: I know that I said that this chapter would come quickly in my A/N at the end of the last chapter, but I've been unable to get on the net. I hope you can forgive me.? I should have posted an A/N, but I haven't had the chance to.  
  
~Chapter 11~  
  
~Who told you!?~  
  
Saturday came and Harry woke up around 9am. He smiled when he remembered what day it was, and how much he looked forward to surprising Draco. Nothing special happened at either lunch or breakfast. A few knowing looks were exchanged by Harry and Blaise, but no words were spoken. Harry and told Hermione and Damien about Draco's birthday, after swearing them to secrecy. He had to tell them, or else they would wonder why the two boys weren't going to Hogsmead with them. After lunch, Harry pulled Draco aside.  
  
They kissed each other, and Harry asked;  
  
"Will you go with me to Hogsmead today?"  
  
"Sure I will, but why do you ask? We've gone together all weekend the last months, so I thought it had become a regular arrangement by now." Draco had a happy, but confused look on his face.  
  
"Well. I don't know," Harry lied and felt a sting of worry that his Draco would get suspicious, but pushed it away. He was doing it for a greater good. "I just felt like I should today. Ask, that is."  
  
"Okay. I understand." Draco smiled.  
  
"Can we meet here at about six o'clock? I have a few things I need to do before we go."  
  
"Sure. I'll be here. We don't have to be back at the castle until midnight anyway so." Draco smiled and put his arms around Harry's neck and kissed him deeply.  
  
"I got to go now, luv, but I'll be back at six." Harry turned around and headed for the staircases up to the owlery. "By the way," he said and grinned at the blonde over his shoulder. He turned and walked backwards. "Wear your midnight-blue robes. They look so good on you." Before Draco could say anything, Harry had disappeared up the stairs.  
  
Harry smiled to himself after he had left Draco. 'I caught him a little by surprise there, but it'll make him wear the robes.' Harry sighed lightly. 'And they look so good on him.' When he arrived at the owlery, he walked over to Hedwig.  
  
"Hello, my dear," he said and patted her on the head. She hooted as a greeting and nipped at his arm. Harry took out a piece of parchment and a self-inking quill from his bag.  
  
"You're going to Hogsmead today, Hedwig, to 'Adrianna's' behind 'Olivander's'." He fastened a note to her leg. She hooted once, spread her wings and flew out of the open window. He went back down the stairs and headed for the Gryffindor tower. When he got there he walked up to his dormitory to fetch some of the homework he had been given the past week, went back down to the common room, and settled in one of the chairs by the fire place. Harry had just finished reading through the chapter Professor Snape had told them that they would be covering the following week, when Hedwig came gliding through the window. She landed on top of his four poster bed and hooted softly at Harry.  
  
"I'm coming," he said and walked across the floor. Hedwig put out her leg so he could remove the note that was attached to it. He unfolded it and reads it out loud.  
  
"To Mr. Harry Potter We have reserved a table for two in your name at six thirty PM today, the 7th. December.  
  
Yours truly Martin Young 'Adrianna's Restaurant'"  
  
He folded it back together, and sat down on his bed and took out the quill and some parchment again.  
  
"You have one more trip to make today, sweetie," he said while he wrote. "This time to 'Ruby's Jewellery'. I've already paid. You just have to pick up a parcel for me and fly it back here. Then you can take the rest of the day off." Harry stroked the owl's soft feathers and fastened the note to her leg. She hooted again and flew back out the window she came in through. She wasn't gone long. Harry had just gotten time to write ten lines on his history of magick's essay when the white owl flew into the room. This time, she was carrying a parcel wrapped with green paper and silver ribbons, the Slytherin colours.  
  
"Good girl, Hedwig," he said and gave her an owl treat from a bag in his trunk. "Now, you can go back to the owlery and relax.  
  
She nibbled at his index finger and flew away. When Hedwig left, he finished his essay that took about one hour. Then, he took a quick shower and put on a pair of black robes with a vague green pattern on them. The pattern was trees and snakes. Harry had bought them at Diagon Alley just before he started fifth year. He had thought that they were quite Slytherin- ish, but he liked them anyway. Actually, he thought that their Slytherin look was the reason why he liked them. By the time he was finished getting dressed and fixing his hair, it was half an hour left until he had to go and meet Draco, but Harry decided to go down to the Entrance Hall and wait for Draco. So, he took one last look in the mirror, but Draco's gift in a pocket in his robes, and left the Gryffindor Tower. Harry came down to the Entrance Hall about twenty minutes before he was supposed to meet Draco, but the blonde Slytherin was already sitting on a bench, waiting for him. Draco got his feet, and Harry smiled when he saw what his boyfriend was wearing.  
  
"I know you would look amazing in those robes," said Harry and embraced his boyfriend.  
  
"Thank you." Draco's cheeks turned slightly pink. "Hi, by the way."  
  
"Hi." The two boys kissed softly, linked their hands together, and left the Entrance Hall.  
  
They talked mostly about the last Demonic Languages class on their way to Hogsmead.  
  
"I can't believe that Professor Crow actually taught us that spell. I thought us that spell. I thought we were supposed to learn how to vanquish demons in Defence against the Dark Arts."  
  
"I know, but the spell doesn't exactly vanquish the White snakes. It just throws them about forty feet and leaves them petrified for fifteen minutes." Harry imitated being petrified.  
  
"Yeah, but it was still extremely wicked!" Draco laughed and practically skipped down the road.  
  
When they arrived in Hogsmead it was still a half an hour until Harry's reservations, so they window-shopped for a while. Draco went into the pet shop. He didn't look at any of the owls or rats, but walked straight over to a cage in the far corner of the shop. He sat down in front of it and started talking softly to the animal inside.  
  
"Hello Blue. How is my favourite kitty today?!" The big black cat purred and rubbed against the bars of the cage.  
  
"I can't stay for long today. I'm with Harry, you see." The cat's big blue eyes fixed upon Harry for a second. Then, he turned his attention to Drano again. "I'll be back as soon as possible, and then I'll take you home. I can't let you be in this cage any longer. I promise it won't be long." The cat purred again, as though he wanted to say that he understood. "G' bye then, Blue." Drano smiled at the cat and got up and walked out of the shop with Harry three paces behind him.  
  
"I just love that cat." Drano sighed. "So now you know where I went the times I had to 'do something alone' when we have been down here earlier."  
  
Harry nodded.  
  
"My father wouldn't let me have him, you see, but now I'm going to buy him. It's not like I'm going back to the Mansion or anything. So I've decided to free him from his imprisonment."  
  
"I think that would be good for you both. You seem to have a connection, but we'll have to talk about that later. We're running out of time. Forgive me for doing this," said Harry and pulled out his wand. Before Drano got the chance to say anything, Harry had cast a blinding spell on him.  
  
"What!? Harry.? Why?" A tear feel from Draco's eye.  
  
"It's just temporary, D. I have a surprise for you, and this is necessary to not spoil it." Harry wiped the tear from his boyfriend's face. Draco nodded and reached out for Harry's hand through his darkness.  
  
"Come on. It won't be long."  
  
On the way to the restaurant they walked by a flower shop. Harry stopped Draco for a second and a thin lady came out with one long-stemmed blood red rose in her hand. She gave it to Harry, who thanked her and the two boys walked on. About five minutes later they sat at the table in the restaurant. Draco was still blinded, but not for long. Harry put the rose on the table, and took out Draco's gift and his wand. He pointed it at Draco's eyes.  
  
"Finite Incantatum."  
  
Draco blinked at the sudden brightness as his eyesight returned. Then he saw the rose and parcel in front of him.  
  
"Happy birthday, D," said Harry and smiled softly at the blonde.  
  
"Who told you!?" He laughed. "I'm sorry, luv. Thank you. But I still wonder; who told you?"  
  
"A little songbird." Harry tried to look innocent.  
  
"It was Blaise, wasn't it? I should have known. He's such a bloody romantic! But I'll deal with him later." The Slytherin grinned widely. "Can I open that now?" He pointed at the parcel.  
  
"Of course you can!" Harry grinned back.  
  
Draco picked up the rose and breathed in its scent deeply. "How did you know that these roses are my favourite flowers? I've never told anyone that."  
  
"That was just creepy. The way I found out, but I can tell you later. Open your present!"  
  
"Okay okay." Draco raised his hands to show that he surrendered. He picked up the parcel and his long, slender fingers untied the ribbons carefully. "I want to keep it," he said while carefully revealed the box inside the paper. Then he blushed. "I guess Blaise isn't the only romantic in Slytherin, is he?"  
  
"No. You can't deny it now, D." Harry smiled.  
  
Draco folded the paper neatly together, tied the ribbon around it, and put it in his pocket. Then he took a deep breath and opened the box.  
  
"Oh, my god!!!" The blonde boy's hands shook as he took the necklace and wrist-chain out of their container. His eyes filled up with tears when he turned the necklace around and saw the inscription on the back.  
  
It said: 'I love you, D. Your Harry'  
  
"I love you too, Harry. Thank you so much." Then he saw the inscription on the wrist-chain. 'Draco Thomas Malfoy' "You remembered my middle name." Draco smiled.  
  
"Yeah. From the howler. Do you like it?" Harry got up and walked around the table and helped his boyfriend with the neck lace.  
  
Draco pulled Harry's face to his and kissed him. "I love it! I absolutely love it! I've wanted something like this for a very long time. I have to ask you again. How did you know?" He looked very curious.  
  
A waiter approached them just as Harry was going to tell the other boy about the bizarre Divination class.  
  
"Are you ready to order, sir?" The waiter asked Harry.  
  
"Yes. I think we are. What do you want, D? Anything you want."  
  
Draco told the waiter what he wanted and Harry took the same as him.  
  
"Now, I can tell you."  
  
Draco nodded.  
  
"Blaise told me about your birthday four days ago, the very same day that I have Divination." He told the blonde all about the crystal ball and the haze.  
  
"Wow! What a useful premonition!" Draco laughed.  
  
"Yeah. Don't you think?" Harry laughed too.  
  
"But, how did you manage to put this together in just four days?" Draco got that curious look on his face again.  
  
"I got some friends to bend a couple of rules," said Harry secretively and grinned.  
  
"I won't even ask."  
  
Their food arrived, and they ate and talked for a long time. Even though both of them were full when they had finished the first course, Harry still ordered some deep fried banana and vanilla ice cream that they could share for desert.  
  
"Thank you luv. Thank you for this wonderful day." Draco grinned. "Remind me to thank Blaise for telling you, instead of yelling at him."  
  
"Trust me, I will." Harry signalised to the waiter that he wanted the bill, paid it and they left.  
  
The two boys walked hand in hand from the restaurant. They laughed of each other's jokes and stopped to kiss once in a while. They didn't care who saw them. They were in love and proud of it.  
  
When they reached the pet shop that Draco had visited before they went to dinner, Harry stopped.  
  
"Why do you stop here now?" Draco asked.  
  
"Do you want another present?" Harry smiled at his boyfriend, and walked in the door of the shop.  
  
"You don't have to do this Harry. I can buy him myself. I have the money, you know."'  
  
"I know that, D, but I want to. Can you just let me?"  
  
Draco sighed and nodded slightly as Harry went over to the man behind the counter.  
  
"I want the black cat in the corner." He pointed at Blue.  
  
"You want him? The only one he has ever liked is your friend over there." The man looked at Draco.  
  
"Well, that is a good thing, because I'm buying the cat for him. It's his birthday today, you see." Harry grinned.  
  
"Then I have no objections. I care much for all the animals in my shop. So, I just want to make sure that they get good homes. And when I look at the time your friend has spent in this shop just talking to that cat, I know that he will take care of him." The man smiled at the boys and walked over to Blue's cage. "No, by the way, you take him out," he said in Drano's direction. He took out his wand and removed the locking spell on the cage door.  
  
Draco bent down and opened the door. "Hi, my dear. I'm back. You're coming home with me today. Just like I promised." The black cat walked out of the cage and leapt into the blonde's arms. He purred and settled with his head at the base of Drano's neck.  
  
Harry and the man that owned the shop walked over to the counter again.  
  
"How much is the cat?" Harry took out the pouch were he kept his money from a pocket in his robes.  
  
"For a cat like him I usually take 10 Galleons, but a friendship between a pet and its master like the one between the two of them," he nodded in Drano's direction again, "is priceless. Take him down to see me once or twice and that'll be my payment." He looked lovingly at the cat.  
  
"I promise that we will. Thank you!" Harry smiled.  
  
"Your welcome. But please don't tell people that I've given him away. It'll be bad for business."  
  
"I won't tell." Harry dropped his voice. "I won't even tell Draco. He doesn't have to know."  
  
The man just smiled.  
  
"Come on Draco. We have to get back to the castle." Harry took his boyfriend's free hand and walked out of the door. He waved at the owner as they excited the shop.  
  
~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~  
  
Harry walked Draco all the way to the door into the Slytherin common room that night. He gave the slender blonde a long goodnight-kiss with Blue between them. The cat didn't seem to mind.  
  
"Thank you for everything." Draco's hand moved up to his necklace.  
  
"Your welcome, luv." Harry kissed his boyfriend once more. "Goodnight, Draco."  
  
"Goodnight." Draco smiled, spoke the password to the common room and disappeared through the door.  
  
A/N: Thank yu for being so incredibly patient and not rubbing my nose in this delay. ^-^ 


	12. Not Well At All

Day Walker  
  
Disclaimer: Most of the characters belong to the wonderful and definitively talented J.K Rowling. I only borrow them to create my stories, but Professor Crow and the lovely Damien are my own doing.  
  
Summary: Some sorrow, some fun, and a little love..  
  
Warning: This fic is slash. Just a teeny tiny warning to the delicate souls out there. (Sooo not counting myself in that category. Yeah right! Me, delicate? You wish. ^-^ )  
  
~Chapter 12~  
  
~Not well at all~  
  
It was the week before Christmas and Harry, Draco and Hermione were sitting by a fire in the school's library. They were doing their homework and talking about the plans they had for the holidays.  
  
"I'm going home. My parents and I are going to my aunt's house for Christmas Eve. I think it's going to be extremely boring," said Hermione in her usual exaggerating way. "But it'll be nice to see my cousins again. Haven't seen a couple of them in years. What about you two?"  
  
The two boys looked at each other before Draco answered. "Well, we're staying here, basically because we don't have a choice."  
  
Harry nodded. "Draco can't go home because of his father and I will not spend the holidays with my dreadful so-called family. And besides, I wouldn't have left Draco here all alone anyway!" He shot a loving gaze over at his boyfriend.  
  
"I understand. I would have invited you, but my aunt doesn't know about me being a witch and. Well, you know."  
  
Draco smiled. "We were actually looking forward to spending this time together at the castle, but thanks anyway, 'Mione."  
  
"It's gonna be quite sad though." Harry lowered his voice a notch. "It's my first Christmas here without Ron. I've missed him before too, of course, but not like this." Harry's eyes welled up with tears.  
  
"I know. I miss him too." Hermione sniffled.  
  
"He was my best friend. Actually, he was my first friend." A single tear ran down the raven haired boy's face, leaving a tiny path of salty water in its wake. Draco leaned across the table and wiped the tear from his boyfriend's jawbone with gentle fingers.  
  
"You've never told me that. I knew that your uncle, aunt and cousin treated you bad, but I didn't know that you had no friends." Hermione sounded slightly shocked.  
  
"Well, I didn't," said Harry with a low voice. "The only ones at the school I went to before I came here that talked to me without calling me names or otherwise harassing me were the teachers. I was a good student. Did my homework in time, paid attention in class, did well on tests and was dressed in clothes that were either too big or too small. All hand-me- downs. That was one of the reasons why I was picked on. The other, biggest reason was that my cousin Dudley was the worst bully.. The other kids feared him and his friends, so when they picked on someone, so did the rest of the kids." He took a deep breath and wiped his face with the sleeve of his robes. "No one my own age ever talked to me like a human being, but when I got here I found Ron. He was the first person to talk to me on the train from King's Cross. He was the best friend I've ever had."  
  
The three of them sat in silence for several minutes, their heads lowered, as if honouring Ron's memory.  
  
"I can't say that I know how you feel, luv," Draco said, his voice breaking the silence. "And I will not try to understand you either, but I will be there if you need to talk about this again." He got up from his chair and walked over to the two Gryffindors. He cradled Harry's face in his hands and kissed his swollen lips carefully.  
  
"So will I," said Hermione in a whisper.  
  
"Thank you." Harry forced a little smile onto his own face, still sniffling a bit,  
  
Hermione started to get her things together. "Let's go, guys. I don't think any of us will be able to concentrate on our homework any longer."  
  
The boys nodded in agreement and gathered their stuff too.  
  
When Harry opened the door that led out of the library something black slithered past them and out into the hallway. Draco crouched down and smiled at the cat.  
  
"Hello there Blue. How was your sleep?" He stroked the cat's silky back. Blue yawned and rubbed his head against his owner's leg before he pranced on down the corridor. The black cat hadn't left Draco's side since they came home the night of his birthday. The blonde didn't want him to either.  
  
~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~  
  
The teens split up in the Entrance Hall to go to their dormitories and put on some more clothes. Hermione had suggested a snowball fight. The two Gryffindors got back down to the Hall about five minutes later, wearing thick woollen robes with hoods to keep the cool air out. Harry's were black and lined with gold and Hermione's were deep red (A/N: Little Red Riding Hood?) lined with green. Draco arrived in the Hall a few minutes later than them. It took longer to walk down to the Slytherin dungeons than up to the Gryffindor tower. He was also dressed in woollen robes, but the hood was almost as long as the robes themselves. The main colour was dark forest green with silver linings. (A/N: I know I go a bit overboard with the Slytherin and Gryffindor colours, but I don't care.)  
  
"Well, don't you look all Christmasy," said Draco to Hermione.  
  
"I take that as a compliment," she replied smiling. "You look good. You were born to be dressed in those colours."  
  
Draco blushed and faced his boyfriend. "You look good in everything."  
  
"Thank you, D." It was Harry's turn to blush. "Let's go outside!"  
  
The three of them ran out into the snow covered school grounds. They all sprinted in different directions to find good shelter and make snowballs. Harry threw himself down behind a rose bush that gave him shelter and provided a clear view of both of his opponents. He was able to make a small heap of snowballs before the first airborne one hit him in the shoulder. It was Hermione that threw it. He threw two back at her with all his strength. At the same time a ball from Draco hit him in the side. He laughed and jumped out from his rose bush with snow balls in his arms. He threw at both of them until his arms were empty. Draco and Hermione had also come out of their hiding places to get revenge on Harry. They threw themselves over him in a big pile of snow and covered him in the cold, white substance. A while later, after a lot of laughter and playing, three snowmen walked back up to the castle. The one with most snow on him was Harry.  
  
"We really got you, didn't we?" Draco grinned at his boyfriend.  
  
Harry grinned back. "Hey! I got you first, okay? I let you win."  
  
"Yeah, right!" Hermione laughed, and said sarcastically: "If you say that to yourself enough times, maybe it'll come true."  
  
His green eyes sparkled wickedly, and before she knew it he had thrown a handful of snow right in her face. Hermione snorted and both the boys burst out in laughter. When she saw her reflection in one of the windows, she joined in as well. Her entire face was white. Only her eyes and mouth were showing.  
  
Draco performed a sweeping spell on them before they went into the Entrance Hall.  
  
"This little sucker sweeps away anything. My mother taught it to me when I was little. I always spilled things," he said. "But you have to remember to say what you want to sweep away. This one time when I was eight, I swept my clothes off at school." He blushed.  
  
Harry dropped his voice so that only the blonde could hear him. "I'll remember that." He sounded to seductive that his boyfriend blushed even harder.  
  
To get his thoughts over to something else, Draco said, "Where's Damien these days, by the way? I haven't seen him around for a while."  
  
The others shrugged. "I don't know," answered Harry. "The last time I saw him was yesterday morning, when he rushed past me on my way to the common room. It was early and I asked him to join me by the hearth before breakfast, but he said that he didn't have the time, that he had something to do, and rushed on down the stairs. After that I've only seen him in the Great Hall during meals or in classes. Haven't actually talked to him."  
  
"Me neither." Hermione looked at the boys. He's being all secretive and not telling where he runs off to after classes or anything."  
  
The two boys looked at each other. "Hmmm.?" Harry smiled. "That sounds like someone else we all know. A while back that is."  
  
Draco returned Harry's smile. "Yeah. Us! But that doesn't have to mean he's seeing someone, does it?"  
  
"No." Hermione answered. "I was very secretive back in third year, when I was doing some minor time travelling to have time for all my classes. Remember?" She looked at Harry.  
  
"I remember. Actually I thought about that myself too, but I have a feeling Dumbledore wouldn't allow that again. But guys? Instead of standing here speculating, why doesn't one or all of us ask Damien about this? Nothing good comes from jumping to conclusions."  
  
"I agree," said Draco. "But who'll talk to him? I haven't exactly had those kinds of conversations with him. By the way, did Dumbledore actually allow you to do that?"  
  
"Me neither." Hermione's eyes turned to Harry. "But you have, haven't you? And yes Draco, he actually did."  
  
Draco looked a little shocked for a second then he turned his attention toward Harry.  
  
Harry shrugged. "I guess. I'll do it the next time I see him, if I have the time. Okay?"  
  
The other two nodded.  
  
"I have to go. Have some packing left, you see." Hermione smiled and ran up the staircase heading for the Gryffindor tower.  
  
"I have to go too," said Draco. "I have to finish that damned Potions essay. I'll see you later, okay?" He smiled at his boyfriend.  
  
"Sure, D. I have some homework left myself so." Harry smiled back and kissed the blonde passionately before they split up.  
  
~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~  
  
Harry sat in the Gryffindor common room reading a book on Quiddich later that evening. Suddenly Damien came through the portrait hole.  
  
'Well. I might as well get it over with,' Harry thought to himself. He closed his book and got out of the fluffy armchair.  
  
"Hello stranger," he said to Damien with a smile.  
  
Damien returned the smile with a grin. "Hi there, Handsome." He laughed.  
  
"Not to pry in your private life and stuff. But. Ehhh." Harry ran his fingers through his hair and made it even more untidy. "I was just wondering. Ehhh."  
  
The other boy laughed again. "Come on. Spit it out.. I won't bite." He grinned and licked his left fang with the tip of his tongue.  
  
"I was just wondering what you have been up to lately. Haven't seen you out of class and meals for a long time."  
  
"You see? That wasn't so hard, now was it? I don't know how I'm going to answer your question, Harry. It's pretty complicated. Is it okay if I tell you when I understand more of it myself?"  
  
"Off course it is." Harry smiled.  
  
"But I can tell you two things: it has nothing to do with you, Hermione or Draco. And I still think you're a babe, but I will not surprise you in the shower the way I did that time. I'm so sorry for that." Damien looked at the floor.  
  
"I know you are. I'm quite grateful that you won't surprise me like that again. Don't get me wrong," Harry grinned. "Feel free to smell me when I get off in the shower anytime, just let me know that you're there." The expression on his face showed no humour.  
  
"I'll remember that," Damien replied with the same humourless expression. But none of them could keep it more than a few seconds before they burst into laugher.  
  
Harry wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes. "Shall we go down for dinner?"  
  
"Yes, we shall," said Damien and took Harry's arm. "May I open the hole for you milady?"  
  
Harry nodded and dropped a curtsy. The two boys started to laugh again as they walked down the corridor. When they were halfway down the stairs Damien stopped.  
  
"Harry?"  
  
Harry nodded.  
  
"Could you do me favour and not say anything to the others? I know that I haven't actually told you anything, but anyway."  
  
"I won't. You can tell them yourself later, if there is anything to tell. Same with me."  
  
"Thanks, Harry." Damien gave Harry a quick hug.  
  
Harry got a little surprised, but returned the hug and said, "No problem, Damien." Then they walked down the rest of the staircase and into the Great Hall for dinner.  
  
Damien and Harry sat next to each other at dinner, but they both ate in silence. Hermione and Ginny were chatting eagerly across the table. When Damien had finished his dinner and had some apple flavoured ice cream for dessert he got up from his chair. He leaned down to Harry and dropped his voice.  
  
"Will you go to bed early today, Harry, or can we talk a little in the common room when I get back tonight?"  
  
"I'll be there," Harry whispered. "I have to finish my book anyway." He smiled. Damien returned his smile and said good bye to Hermione before he disappeared out of the Great Hall.  
  
Hermione turned her attention to Harry. "What was that about? Has he told you anything?"  
  
Harry thought about it for a split second and decided to lie. "He just wondered if I would sit with him in the common room later tonight. He was going to read for a while and just wanted some company. And no, he hasn't told me anything. I didn't ask him directly. I was going to, but decided that if there was something we should know then he would tell us himself."  
  
"You're right. We are good at sticking our noses in other people's business, aren't we?" She twirled a strand of brown hair around her right index finger.  
  
"Yes, we are. So it's good that at least one of us has some common sense then." He laughed and patted her on the shoulder.  
  
The sarcastic, cheeky Hermione suddenly surfaced. "Is it really? And who might that person be? Not you. That's for sure, Mr. Sneak-out-at-night-to- chase-basilisks-or-ride-hippogriffs-to-save-uncle."  
  
"Hmmph!" Harry pretended to be offended and stuck his nose in the air. "I do not know what it is you are talking of. I would do no such thing!"  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes toward the ceiling and got back to finishing her caramel pudding.  
  
After he had finished his own dessert he went for a little visit to the Slytherin table to wish his boyfriend a good night. It wasn't that late at night yet so that any of them would go to bed for at least three hours, but they wouldn't see each other until the next day so he thought it was as good a time as any to say it.  
  
"Good night and sweet dreams, luv," said Draco and kissed his boyfriend in plain view of the students and teachers.  
  
"Sweet dreams to you too, D," Harry replied. He let his lips brush against Draco's forehead and walked away from the table.  
  
~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~  
  
One and a half hours later the common room was deserted, and Harry was sitting in his favourite armchair in front of the fireplace again. He had finished his book on Quiddich and had gone over to putting the inspiration he received into a drawing of a Quiddich game in progress. He was just putting the finishing touches on one of the players when the portrait hole opened and Damien climbed through. His cheeks were slightly pink, his lips swollen and he was short of breath.  
  
Harry smiled. "Well well. Out late, are we?" He grinned wickedly. "So, where have you been, with whom, and what have you been doing?" His voice sounded very much like Hermione's.  
  
"Don't worry, MUM," said Damien. "I haven't been doing anything nasty. Yet!" He grinned back.  
  
"If you don't tell me anything now, then that would be downright cruel!"  
  
"I know. I will tell. I've been planning to tell you anyway, but as I said earlier today, I needed to find out some things myself first. I didn't think I'd find out those things this fast though." His smile was threatening to split his face in two. He took a deep breath. "I'm seeing someone."  
  
Harry let out a tiny laugh. "After the way you looked when you came in here two minutes ago I figured that part out myself."  
  
The other boy stuck his tongue out at Harry before he continued to talk. "I've been seeing this boy for some time now, that's why I've been spending so much time away from you guys. I met him by coincidence at a small diner down in Hogsmeade this one weekend I went down there alone. I was sitting alone and then he walked in and sat down in the table next to me. We started talking and before I knew it I was seated at his table, having dinner with him. He was so great! I had seen him around school before to, and thought he was attractive then too, but I figured that he was just as stuck up and idiotic as the people he was with. But I was wrong. Harry, I was so wrong!" Damien nearly twirled on the floor in front of Harry. "I think I'm in love, Harry. We haven't been an 'official' couple before tonight, when he asked me to be his boyfriend. Right after thinking 'Oh. My. God!' and saying 'Yes, off course I will', I thought 'I have to tell Harry!' I really trust you not to tell anyone. You've been in the same situation yourself so."  
  
"Off course I won't say anything." Harry made a zipper movement over his lips and smiled. "But I do have a question for you."  
  
"Ask away."  
  
"Who is he?"  
  
Damien grinned. "I forgot to say that in all my eagerness, didn't I?"  
  
Harry nodded.  
  
"It's. I don't know if I can just say it. Let's just put it this way: it will be another Slytherin going over to the 'enemy'." He grinned again.  
  
Harry's brain was working very hard to find out who it might be. Then suddenly a thought struck him. "Is it Blaise Zabini?"  
  
Damien nodded yes. "How did you guess that so fast?" He seemed quite stunned.  
  
"He told me indirectly that he was gay the same time he told me about Draco's birthday. And thinking about which one of the single guys in Slytherin that's cute. Well.. It didn't leave me much choice, did it?"  
  
"Neeh.. You're right. It didn't." Damien smiled at Harry. "To jump over to another subject, are you staying here over the holidays or what?"  
  
"Me and Draco are staying here, but 'Mione's going home. What about you?"  
  
"I'm staying here as well. I have no reason for going home. We have no nice and cosy Christmas traditions and I've heard some rumours that the castle is beautiful when it's decorated so I decided to stay. Blaise is going home though. I'll miss him." Damien faked a sniffle. "But I'll write him. Whether he wants me to or not." He laughed.  
  
"I understand you. And the rumours are true. It really is beautiful here at Christmas."  
  
The boys sat there and talked for several hours, but found out that it was about time to go to bed when Harry was not only falling asleep during Damien's sentences, but during his own too.  
  
"Good night, Damien," said Harry when they were standing in the hall outside his dormitory. "Sleep tight."  
  
"G'night, sweety," answered Damien with a wicked grin.  
  
"You're not well, you know that?" Harry laughed. "Not well at all!" He turned around and was halfway in the door when Damien slapped him gently on the butt. Harry spun around and grabbed Damien's hand. He lifted it to his face and licked the half-vampire's fingers. "Good night!" He grinned and closed the door behind him. He could hear the other boy's muffled laughter through it. Harry muttered to himself: "Not well at all."  
  
Author's note: Please give me some feedback on this chapter. I don't know whether I like it not. I sorta like the tension between Harry and Damien. It's kinda innocent and sweet and just for fun, but still kinda sexual. What do you think? Should I keep Damien with Blaise and write Blaise into the 'gang' or should they break up.? Can't promise to do what you say, but I'm open to suggestions! 


	13. Goodbyes

Day Walker  
  
Disclaimer: I only own Damien. Harry Potter and his friend belong to J.K Rowling. So does the scenery.  
  
Summary: The last days before Christmas. The handing-over of gifts and departure of friends.  
  
~Chapter 13~  
  
~Goodbyes~  
  
It was just four days left for Christmas and the last day of school before the vacation. Harry, Hermione and Damien were in Herbology. The class was coming to an end.  
  
"Now, class, if you've finished cleaning up your plant tables, you can water the plants so that they don't die over the holidays." Professor Sprout smiled at the students. She was wearing a red hat over her wild hair and a red pair of robes with Christmas trees and bells on it. All the students knew that she always watered the plants herself when there wasn't any classes, but she still asked them to do it before every vacation. When all the plants were watered, the professor dismissed the class and wished them a merry Christmas before they all left the greenhouse.  
  
"I'm looking forward to going home," said Hermione with a smile. "Not that I'm looking forward to leaving you guys, but it'll be quite nice to see my family again."  
  
"We understand that," said Damien. "Don't we, Harry?"  
  
"Yep! We sure do! We'll miss you though."  
  
"I'll miss you too." Hermione sighed and smiled at the two boys walking next to her across the snowcovered grounds.  
  
~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~  
  
Harry and Damien met up with Draco outside the Demonic Languages classroom.  
  
"Hello luv," said the blonde and kissed his boyfriend.  
  
"Hey, D." Harry smiled. "Sorry Damien."  
  
Damien laughed. "I understand. I really do! I would do that too if I was all open and stuff."  
  
The two Gryffindors sniggered and shared a knowing look.  
  
"What are you two not telling me? I hate when people do that... It should be a law against internal joking!" He looked very confused and he actually pouted.  
  
"I never thought I'd get to see a Slytherin pout." Damien grinned. "Shall we tell him, Harry?"  
  
"Well... Do you want him to know?"  
  
"I'm not quite sure. But I guess he's trustworthy, don't you think?"  
  
"I'm not quite sure actually." Harry grinned too.  
  
Draco's eyes shifted between looking at Harry and Damien as they spoke. "Can somebody please tell me or stop talking about it or I swear I'll go bananas!"  
  
"We're just teasing you, Draco." Damien shook his head. "I never doubted that I was going to tell you."  
  
"Okay I'll calm down now." Draco took a deep breath and turned all his attention to Damien.  
  
The half-blood vampire looked around to see if there was anyone there, but they were the only ones who arrived that early for class.  
  
"Well... I sort of... I'm like... I'm dating Blaise!"  
  
"Congratulations!" Draco smiled. "You deserve it. He's a nice guy, and cute too," he added with a grin.  
  
"I think so too." Damien smiled at the thought of his boyfriend. They didn't get the chance to talk anymore about the subject before the rest of the students came around the corner, shortly followed by Professor Crow.  
  
When they had all found their seats and had got their books up, the professor turned to the class and said: "Today, we won't be doing anything. We will just have a nice time and talk about our Christmas traditions. Doesn't that sound cosy?" He smiled at his class and sat down on top of his desk as he always did during class.  
  
'I don't think I've ever seen him sit on the chair,' Harry thought.  
  
"I'll start then," said Professor Crow. He told them a long story about spending Christmas with his parents and siblings in London. About turkey dinners and about decorating trees. "That was my tradition," he said when he had finished. "Anyone who would like to follow my lead?"  
  
A skinny Hufflepuff girl rose her hand.  
  
"Yes, Miss Carter. Please tell." The professor smiled at the girl.  
  
She smiled back and started enlightening the class on her tradition.  
  
'I'm so not telling about my traditions,' Harry thought. 'It's not like I have any... If you don't count being hungry and presentless as tradition though.' He snorted to himself. Damien and Draco looked at him with curious looks on their faces. He just shook his head at them.  
  
"That sounds nice, Miss Carter," said Professor Crow. "Next please."  
  
No hands in the air.  
  
"Well, then I'll just have to choose a victim of my own then." Crow looked around the classroom. "Ah, Harry. Can you tell us about your Christmas traditions?"  
  
"I don't have any outside of school. I stay here. End of story." Harry had an emotionless expression on his face.  
  
"Okay. I won't ask again." The professor looked for another student to tell his or her story. The rest of the lesson was the same.  
  
"You can leave now, kids. Except you, Harry. I would like a word with you, please."  
  
Harry shrugged and packed his books. "Can you two wait for me in the Entrance Hall?" Harry said to Damien and Draco.  
  
"Sure," the two boys replied in sync.  
  
"Merry Christmas to you all!" Professor Crow cheerily sent them on their way.  
  
Harry jumped up on the desk and waited for all the students to leave. When they had, Crow closed the door behind them.  
  
"What's wrong, Harry? You're usually so forthcoming in class and all around a nice kid, and today you got a real attitude. Was it something I said?"  
  
Harry shrugged again. "Nothing is wrong. Nothing that hasn't been wrong for the previous years of my life as well." He smiled, his grin loaded with sarcasm. "It wasn't anything you said, it was what you asked. I don't like talking about my family. Because I don't have any. I have an aunt and uncle that I spend my summers with and, god, how I hate that. Before I got here I never knew what it meant to get a present. Or what it meant to have a nice Christmas meal. The only tradition I've ever had when Christmas is concerned is to stay at this castle. It was the first place I felt welcome and at home. I lived in a cupboard under some stairs for eleven years, God damn it!" He breathed heavily to calm himself down. "So I would be grateful if you didn't ask me anything that has, or can have, something to do with family and parents. As you probably know, my parents were killed by..."  
  
"By Voldemort, I know. I should have known better than to ask you today. I'm so sorry. Can you forgive me? I would like to keep a good rapport with all my students."  
  
"I forgive you. You couldn't have known. Not many know how my life was before I was told that I was a wizard." Harry sighed.  
  
"I was one of the many ignorants. If you ever want to talk, Harry..." Professor Crow ended his sentence, but his meaning was clear.  
  
"I''ll remember that."  
  
"Good. Now, go on. Don't want to keep your friends waiting." The professor winked at Harry, who smiled, got his stuff and left the room to meet up with his two friends in the Entrance Hall.  
  
~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~  
  
After breakfast the next morning it was time for most of the students to go home to their families. Harry met up with his friends down by the horseless carriages.  
  
When Harry got there Hermione was there. She was the only one he was 'sending home' that year. He saw Damien walk down the road, towards Blaise who was standing by the far carriage. Blaise dissapeared behind the horseless carriage the moment before Damien reached it. He lingered beside the wagon for a little while before he also slipped behind it. If Harry hadn't been paying attention to them he wouldn't have noticed that they both went behind the carriage. He smiled to himself and turned back to Hermione who was chatting eagerly with Ginny. She was also going home for Christmas.  
  
"Hey Hermione," he said.  
  
"Hello."  
  
"Draco won't come down he..."  
  
She cut him off. "I know. He has to meet with the school counsellor."  
  
Harry had a puzzled look on his face.  
  
Hermione laughed. "I ran into him in the hall earlier and he told me. So we said goodbye there." She smiled again. I'm gonna miss you over the holidays." Her smile faded slightly.  
  
"I'll miss you too!" He smiled at her. "Don't be sad, 'Mione. You'll come back, won't you?"  
  
She laughed. "Yes, I'll definetly come back! And I will owl you during Christmas. By the way, I have something for you." She reached into her robes and took out a packet with black paper and red ribbons. She handed it to him. "Here you go, Harry." She got a stern look on her face. "Don't open it until Christmas."  
  
"I promise! Cross my heart!" He drew a cross over his heart with his left index finger.  
  
She grinned. "Okay. I choose to believe you."  
  
"Thank you. I appreciate the trust." Harry grinned at Hermione.  
  
Hagrid appeared behind Harry.  
  
"The carriges are leaving soon, 'Mione," he said. "You better hurry."  
  
"Thanks, Hagrid," she replied.  
  
The half-giant smiled. "C'me 'ere!" He reached out and pulled her into a hug.  
  
She laughed. "Let go of me, Hagrid. You're strangling me," she said in a jest.  
  
He let go of her and smiled widely. "Safe trip 'ome, 'Mione. I 'ave to go now. 'ave to send them carriages off soon." He waved with his big hand and turned around, then he left them.  
  
"I guess I'll have to get in a carriage." Hermione smiled a smile with a hint of sadness in it.  
  
"I guess so." Harry pulled her into a hug. "Have a merry Christmas. Don't worry about me. I have both Draco and Damien here with me, and I love the castle when it's decorated and full of the Christmas spirit." He smiled back at her.  
  
"Okay. I won't worry." The happy grin appeared on her face again.  
  
"Good! Get on home now, 'Mione! I'll owl you your gift in a couple of days. It's not quite here yet," he said, thinking about the book on ancient latin he had ordered for her at the Flourish and Blott's. He expected an owl from them any day now.  
  
She picked up her trunk with the weightless charm on it. "I will. Bye Harry. Merry Christmas."  
  
"Merry Christmas, Hermione." He hugged her again and she got into one of the carriages.  
  
Harry turned around for a second to look for Damien, who was nowhere to be seen. Instead, he saw Draco come running down the road. When he reached his boyfriend's side he panted and breathed heavily.  
  
"I wanted to wave," he said inbetween breaths, and waved at Hermione, who had taken her seat next to Ginny Weasly. She waved back.  
  
Harry just smiled and put his arm around Draco's waist. After a couple of minutes they heard Hagrid anounce the departure and the horseless carriages began to move.  
  
"Bye," called Hermione to them.  
  
"G'bye," they called back, and waved to her until they could only see a tiny spot way down the road.  
  
When they headed back to the castle, Damien joined them.  
  
"I'll miss him," he said.  
  
"Off course, you will," the couple replied. "Off course, you will."  
  
A/N: I'm so sorry it has taken so long to write this tiny chapter, but I've been so busy with school and work and everything. Please forgive me, and please review! *Smiles* 


	14. Can I Draw You?

Day Walker  
  
Disclaimer: I own only Damien. The rest of the wonderful characters belongs to JK. Rowling.  
  
Summary: It's Christmas at Hogwarts Castle and all its residents are filled with the wonderful, loving feeling it brings. Maybe a too loving feeling...?  
  
Warning: This story contains male-male slash. If you don't like it... Go away!  
  
~Chapter 14~  
  
~Can I draw you~  
  
The day before Christmas and Harry, Draco and Damien were hanging around in the Great Hall just playing wizards chess and munching on Chocolate Frogs. Or Harry and Damien played chess and Draco munched the frogs. Damien ordered his queen to take out Harry's king-side bishop which Harry had left wide open. Damien smiled victorously, but Harry just grinned.  
  
"Check mate." His queen moved six paces diagonally and cut off the head of Damien's king.  
  
"You tricked me!" Damien pouted. "It's not allowed to cheat."  
  
"I didn't trick you." Harry rolled his eyes heavenwards. "I, compared to what you do, play tactically. My sweet innocent Damien..." Harry smiled softly. "You have to think further than your nose. Plan more than one move at the time."  
  
Damien smiled. "I think I just suck at chess." He laughed. "But innocent I'm not. You cannot accuse me of that."  
  
Harry bowed slightly while sitting down. "I will never make that mistake again."  
  
"I'm out of frogs." Draco showed them an empty box. "Can we go to Hogsmeade and get more. I'm sick of watching you two smash each other's bishops and horses or whatever. Can we please get more sweets?" He sounded like a child.  
  
"Sure," said Damien and magically packed away the chess board.  
  
The three boys walked to their dormitories to get their thick woollen cloaks. Then they headed down to the village.  
  
~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~  
  
A couple of hours later the three of them arrived at the castle again. Draco was completely high on sugar and the other boys were laughing their heads off from the ridiculous things he said and did.  
  
"I didn't even know you could dance, D," said Harry between laughs. "Or that you can sing your own theme song."  
  
Damien burst out in laughter again. "Not a very good theme song I must add," he croaked.  
  
"Hey! Don't mock my theme song!" Draco sounded like an insulted little child. "I like my theme song."  
  
This made the other two laugh even harder.  
  
The clock in the Great Hall struck her four ding-dongs, and annonced the time of day.  
  
"D?" Harry faced his boyfriend.  
  
"Mm-hmm?"  
  
"Don't you have an appointment with Snape about... Well, now?"  
  
"Shit! Uncle Severus will bite my head off!"  
  
"Uncle?" said the two darkhaired Gryffindors.  
  
"Yeah... Well, he's not really my uncle, but my godfather. I've always called him uncle though." Draco shrugged and smiled.  
  
"Okay." Harry smiled. "Why haven't you told me that earlier by the way?"  
  
"I don't know.. Just haven't come up I guess, but can we discuss this later? I have to go or he will kill me, godson or not!" Draco grinned and ran off down into the dungeons. Harry and Damien headed for the Gryffindor Tower. When they got up there they found the commonroom deserted. There were a few younger Gryffindors who also stayed at the castle over the holidays, but none of them were there.  
  
"I'm just going up to the dormitory to get some stuff. Will you light up one of the fires while I'm gone. It's not that it's cold I just like lit fireplaces." Harry smiled.  
  
"Sure. I think they are quite cozy too!" Damien smiled back at Harry who turned and disappeared up the stairs to the boys' dormitories.  
  
When he came back down he was carrying his sketchpad and pencils. Damien was on his hands and knees on front of the hearth, trying to light a fire without using magic.  
  
"Don't you know any fire spells, Damien?" Harry cocked his head to the right.  
  
"Yeah, but I'm sick of using magic for everything. My dad always does. He never, ever does anything manually. Only magically. I like doing things the Muggle way." He smiled and turned his attention back to the fire.  
  
"I understand." Harry grinned and sat down on a sofa by the hearth, and watched the other boy. At last Damien was able to light the fire and sat down next to Harry with a triumphing smile playing on his lips.  
  
"You draw. How cool," said Damien when he saw Harry's sketchpad.  
  
"Yeah, I do, and I was wondering if I could.... Ehhh... Can I draw you?"  
  
"Off course! I don't mind! Go right a head." He placed a fire spell on the fire to keep it burning.  
  
"I thought you didn't like using magic for stuff like that..." Harry raised one eyebrow at Damien.  
  
"Not really, but if I'm going to be drawn I can't run and keep the fire burning every five minutes, now can I?" The half-blood smiled.  
  
"No. Of course you can't!" Harry laughed.  
  
"Told you. How do you want me? I'm usually a top, but for you I'm happy to switch." Damien grinned.  
  
Harry turned red, then pulled himself together. "Just sit like you usually do. And smile. I want to include your fangs." He smiled.  
  
"Sure." Damien sat back in the corner of the sofa, relaxed and smiled teasingly at his fellow Gryffindor.  
  
Harry started with the frame of Damien's face, the curve of the shoulders and his strong neck. His pencils captured the basic of the vampire's soft hair and features next. Harry's eyes were fixed upon Damien for a long while. Their eyes met before Harry shifted his eyes back to looking at the pad. This time the tip of the pencil turned the blank space into Damien's eyes, nose, lips, and fangs. Harry took his eraser and fixed one of the fangs which was a little longer than the other. Then Harry added some details to the hair of the drawn halfblood. One lock of black softness had strayed down in front of Damien's left eye.  
  
'He should never brush that away,' Harry thought and took a deep breath. He started working on the black robe that Damien wore open over a red muggle shirt. He only sketched it to get the basic of it, because he knew it would take long to make the folds in it perfect. He used the opportunity to study Damien's face. 'He's perfect', he thought. 'I love Draco, but Damien's perfect...'  
  
Harry used about half an hour on the process of getting the sketch of Damien finished.  
  
"You can move now. I have what I need in this sketch." Harry put his pencil on the table next to them.  
  
"Can I see?" Damien leant towards Harry to see the drawing of himself.  
  
"Sure!" Harry smiled and leant in direction of the other boy as well. "What do you think?"  
  
"It's perfect! And my fangs! They don't look that cool - or sexy - in the mirror even!" Damien grinned and tilted his head upwards. At the same time, Harry turned his head towards Damien and their lips met. They both hesitated for a second before they began to kiss deeply. Arms flew up around Damien's neck and pale hands with long, slim fingers cradled Harry's face. Their tongues swirled around each other in a passionate dance and their hands gently stroked the other's body. Harry moaned softly. The muffled sound woke Damien up. He quickly pulled away from Harry.  
  
Damien hid his face in his hands. "Oh no..."  
  
Author's note: I know this is a short chapter, and I meant for it to be longer, but then I realized that none of my chappies have been cliffhangers! *Laughs evilly* The next chapter is very much on the way! Thanks to all who's reviewed my story! It means so much to me! *Giggles* 


	15. Forgiving

Day Walker  
  
Disclaimer: I own only Damien. JK Rowling, the genius herself, owns the rest of them and the scenery.  
  
Summary: Shocks, howlers and more unpleasantness...  
  
Warning: This story contains slash (male-male).  
  
Author's Note: I'm so sorry this has taken so much longer than I said it would. Please bear over with me, this is an un-betaed chapter, but my beta'll come back soon, I've talked to him and he's okay! *Smiles*  
  
~Chapter 15 ~  
  
~Forgiving~  
  
"What have I done?" Damien began to sob quietly. "What have I done?"  
  
Harry sighed and placed a hand on the other boy's shoulder. "You didn't mean anything by it. I'm sure Blaise will understand that if you just explain it to him. You had a weak moment. Everyone can have those, and the atmosphere was very romantic. You don't have to tell him if you don't want to, but I think it would be a heavy thing to carry around afterwards."  
  
"You're probably right, and I don't want to keep secrets from him." Damien straightened up and wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his robe. "But I don't want to lose him either."  
  
"Damien...?" said Harry.  
  
The half-blood nodded.  
  
"If he really cares about you and wants to be with you, he'll forgive you for this. It was one kiss."  
  
Damien nodded again. "Do you think it's wise to send an owl to him straight away?"  
  
"I think it would be good to get it out right away." Harry sent Damien an encouraging smile. The vampire nodded and got to his feet. He walked up to his dormitory to write the letter for his boyfriend.  
  
Harry sighed. 'I hope Blaise is as forgiving as I hope he is,' he thought before he began fixing the sketch of Damien.  
  
Five minutes later Damien came back down from the dormitories with a small roll of parchment in his hand. His eyes were red and puffy, and Harry suspected that he had been crying while he wrote the letter to Blaise.  
  
"I'll go up to the owlery to send this." He sniffled abit. "Then I'm gonna go for a walk and... Well.. Just be alone for a while."  
  
"It's okay, Damien," said Harry in a comforting tone of voice. "I'll see you at dinner."  
  
"Yeah." Damien pushed the portrait hole open and climbed through.  
  
Harry decided to put the sketch away and go to find Draco. He found his boyfriend sitting on a bench under one of the big Christmas trees in the Great Hall. He was reading a book on Astrological myths.  
  
Harry sat down next to him. "Hi D..." He was trying to decide wether he should tell Draco or not. 'Harry! You're an idiot!' a voice inside his head screamed at him. 'You can't tell Damien to tell Blaise because it was the right thing and do the complete oposite yourself! Tell hom now!' He sighed. 'You're right,' he thought back to the voice. He gathered all the courage he could find in himself and took a deep breath.  
  
"Draco?"  
  
"Yes." Draco closed his book.  
  
"I've kissed Damien. Or we kissed each other. Ididn'tmeantokisshimitjusthappened - " He was cut off when Draco's index finger was put on his lips.  
  
"Shhhh... It's okay." Draco stroked his boyfriend's hair. "I've put my jealousy behind me. I love you, and I know that you love me too. Don't worry about this. I trust you." The Slytherin smiled. "And I have eyes, you know. I know that Damien is attractive. Let's just call it a moment of weakness." Draco laughed.  
  
"Thanks, D. I'm so glad you're okay with this." Harry leaned in and gave Draco a brief kiss."I just hope Blaise is as forgiving as you."  
  
~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~  
  
It turned out he wasn't. At dinner that night Harry, Draco and Damien sat together at the end of the Gryffindor table. Suddenly a little tawny owl swooped in through the window. It circled a few times under the bewitched ceiling before it dived down and dropped its cargo infront of Damien. The three boys all gasped. It was a red envelope. They all recognised it as a Howler. It was adressed to 'The cheating-son-of-bitch Damien D. Ness'.  
  
"You have to open it, you know," said Draco. "It explodes if you don't, and that's not pretty."  
  
Damien nodded and broke the seal on the back of the envelope. The sobbing voice of a young boy errupted from it.  
  
"I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT YOU WOULD DO A THING LIKE THIS TO ME!" Blaise's amplified voice filled their ears. He sounded angry and hurt. "GET THE HELL OUT OF MY LIFE! I DON'T WANT TO BE WITH YOU ANYMORE, YOU BACK-STABBING- BITCH! I ACTUALLY THOUGHT YOU CARED, BUT OBVIOUSLY NOT!" Blaise yelled at Damien through the Howler for a full five minutes. He insulted him in every thinkable way like only a Slytherin could. He ended it all with a simple: "GOODBYE, DAMIEN!" The voice faded.  
  
Damien's expression changed from shock to disbelief and back to shock again. His eyes filled up with tears as the Howler self-destructed in a cloud of smoke. "I... I... I thought he would understand. I thought he liked me enough to see past one mistake."  
  
"So did we, Damien, so did we." Harry put a hand on Damien's should, and Draco put one of the other.  
  
"We...? He knows?" Damien asked.  
  
"Yes. I told him earlier today. He understands, and if Blaise had really liked you he would have too."  
  
"Yeah. I know Blaise and I didn't think he was like this, but obviously he's just another Slytherin." Draco shrugged.  
  
"I guess he is," said Damien and wiped his eyes. "I liked him... Still like him alot, but I don't love him. I could have, in time, but not yet..."  
  
"I understand that." Harry sighed. "Do you want to leave this place?"  
  
Damien nodded.  
  
"Commonroom?" Harry got up.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"I'll just stay here, and give you two some time to talk," said Draco and smiled.  
  
"Thank you," Damien replied.  
  
Harry leaned down and gave Draco a swift kiss before he and Damien left the Great Hall. When they got up to the Gryffindor commonroom they went to Harry's dormitory. It was only Harry who was there for the holidays.  
  
"Sit on my bed, Damien. Feel free to lay down as well, if you need it." Harry summoned a house elf to bring them some hot chocolate.  
  
"Thank you." The half-blood sat down. They sat in silence and drank their cups of chocolate. Damien laid down when he had emptied the mug with the Hogwart's mark on it. They still hadn't uttered a single word, but words were meaningless. Damien spooned Harry's lower back and butt and all Harry could do was to sit there and stroke the boy's hair until he fell asleep. Harry sent a note to Draco by Hedwig telling him that Damien had fallen asleep and that he didn't want to leave him there. She returned shortly with a note from Draco.  
  
"It's okay. We'll talk more about it in the morning. Just let him sleep. You are free to sleep next to him if you think he'll feel safer then. He needs it now.  
  
I love you!  
  
Love, Draco"  
  
'Thank you,' he thought, sending it Draco's way, and removed his robes and trousers, but the kept his t-shirt and boxers on, and slipped into bed behind Damien.  
  
A/N: I know it sucks, but forgive me for the clichés and sappy stuff. I think I needed to get it out. *smiles* I appreciate reviews. ^-^ 


	16. Heritage

Day Walker  
  
Disclaimer: I still own nothing except Damien and Professor Crow and the professor's Demonic Language class.  
  
Summary: Damien finds out something new about his vampire relatives.  
  
Warning: This story is slash (m/m). Just have to let you know, but if you haven't noticed after reading the previous fifteen chapters... Well, then I don't think this helps either. ^-^  
  
Author's note: Thanks to all of you who's reviewed my story and given me great feed-back. I appreciate it! A lot! *Smiles*  
  
~Chapter 16~  
  
~Heritage~  
  
A week after Damien and Blaise broke up, all the students had returned to Hogwarts, lessons had started again, and Harry and Damien were up in the Gryffindor tower, getting ready for Demonic Language with Professor Alexander Crow. The two boys were comparing a few facts about translation of Ancient Goblin to English. Professor Crow had given them an essay on that subject as homework for the coming lesson.  
  
"What about the grammar?" Harry pointed out a sentence with the end of his quill.  
  
Damien looked at his own parchment. "I wrote that the grammar is quite similar to English grammar and is therefore easier to translate than languages with different grammar and structure."  
  
"That's just about what I wrote as well." Harry smiled.  
  
"Hey boys!" Hermione came down the staircase from the girls' dormitories. "I'm on my way to Arithmancy now. Aren't you supposed to be going to Professor Crow's class now?"  
  
Harry nodded.  
  
"I'll see you at dinner then. I'm going to the library after classes." She smiled. "Bye." She waved at them and disappeared out the portrait hole.  
  
"That's our Hermione," said Harry with a laugh. "She lives and breathes for books and libraries."  
  
"Yeah. But she's right. We ought to get going." Damien rolled up the parchment with his essay on it.  
  
"Yeah." Harry did the same and they left the commonroom, heading to Professor Crow's classroom.  
  
Harry and Damien met up with Draco outside the locked door to the fourth floor classroom where the Demonic Languages classes were held.  
  
"Alohomora!" A voice rang ,a jet of blue light rushed past the students and the door sprang open. A couple of the students gave a start, but the tall, darkhaired professor laughed as they entered the classroom.  
  
"I didn't mean to startle you. I just thought it would be a fun way to open the lesson." He smiled. The students smiled back and nodded in agreement. Professor Crow shuffled his papers while he spoke. "Last lesson I gave you some homework for today. Will you, Marjorie," he adressed a Ravenclaw girl with a ponytail, "please collect the essays on translation of Ancient Goblin and come up here with them?"  
  
"Yes, Professor," said the girl and began collecting the essays from her fellow students. While she did that Professor Crow told them what they were going to do in that lesson.  
  
"Last week some of you let me know that you wanted to know more about the Whitesnake demon now that you've learned as much about the language as you have. It's not really my job to teach you things like that, and I was actually planning to say no, but some new information on that particular demon. So I went to the Headmaster and spoke to him about it. He was quite positive at the idea of it so I decided on devoting this lesson and the next to the Whitesnake's history and where they descend from." He accepted the twentyfive rolls of parchment from Marjorie the Ravenclaw. "The very first D.L lesson you attended I told you that the Whitesnake demon was not related to the vampires," he paused.  
  
Harry saw Damien flinch, like the last time Crow had mentioned his mother's kind.  
  
"But recent inquiries has proved me, and a dozen other witches and wizards working on this subject, wrong. It actually runs vampiric blood in Whitesnake veins and vice versa. Vampires, however, can not change form like the Whitesnakes."  
  
Damien's hand rose slowly into the air.  
  
"Yes, Damien."  
  
The half-blood let his tongue flick over his invisible fangs, they were hidden during the hours of the day where people were most likely to notice them. Then he spoke, "If a witch or a wizard has vampire blood in their family that means they have Whitesnake blood too, right?"  
  
The professor nodded.  
  
"Okay. Well, will they be able to talk to snakes then?"  
  
"Hmmm...." Crow ran his fingers through his hair. "They could be. The Whitesnake demons are able to talk to each other while one of them is in snakeform, but they are not reffered to as Parselmouths since all of them have this ability. Not all vampires have got it though, but a higher percentage of vampires compared to humans do. If half-bloods are able to talk to snakes are primarily decided by genetics, not just the Whitesnake heritage. If the vampire or the witch or wizard is able to, then there is more of a chance of the child to be so as well. Does that answer your question, Damien?"  
  
Damien nodded.  
  
Harry leant over and whispered in Damien's ear. "Are you?"  
  
Damien turned his head and whispered back. "I don't know. I've never met a snake."  
  
"We can find out," Harry muttered under his breath, grinned mischievously and turned his attention to the professor's lecture again.  
  
~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~  
  
"The Room of Requirement of course!" Harry grinned.  
  
"The Room of what?" Damien looked completely oblivious.  
  
"The Room of Requirement!" said Draco and Harry at once.  
  
"Let me explain," continued Harry. "The Room of Requirement is a room that appears only if a person really needs something and walks past the hidden entrance three times. If you know where the room is you can make it appear in the same way, but conscientously. The room is actually quite handy at times." Harry threw a sideways glance at Draco who looked rather flushed.  
  
"So if I've understood this correctly this room will provide us with a great big pile of snakes if we need snakes to find out if I'm a Parselmouth?"  
  
Harry nodded.  
  
"That sounds pretty risky," said Damien.  
  
"Or we can ask the room to be a place of privacy and Draco can summon a single snake." Harry looked at his boyfriend. "He sent one on me in our second year. We were attending a duelling club and things got a little out of hand." The two boys involved laughed.  
  
"Oh! The Serpents Sortia spell. I know that one." Damien smiled.  
  
"I know that I am able to control one snake if it turns out that you can't, but I don't know how it would go if I tried with an army of them." Harry smiled. "I haven't tried that yet. Maybe I would work like somekind of snake overlord or something." He grinned. "That could be quite fun!"  
  
"Oh please." Draco rolled his eyes.. "Don't tell me that your newest goal is to become some sort of Voldemort of snakes?"  
  
"No. I'm just saying that it would have been fun, but we're not trying that. No, too many snakes." Harry shook his head. "I'm rambling, aren't I?"  
  
Draco and Damien nodded in unison.  
  
Harry smiled softly.  
  
"Where is this Room of Requirement then?" Damien asked.  
  
Harry looked around. They were out of hearing range to the other students. "Its hidden entrance is opposite to the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy being beaten up by trolls. It's on the seventh floor. If you want we can go up there after dinner on Friday. Friday is a good day because of the weekend and no need to worry about classes the next day and such. We can then check whether you're a Parselmouth or not, and then have some fun. The room gives you anything you ask for once you're in it too."  
  
"That's fine with me," Damien said."Draco?"  
  
"Sure. Should we ask Hermione along?" Draco looked at his boyfriend.  
  
"Er... I really don't think she'll be very approving of this. But that test will take only a minute so we can tell her that we're going into the Room of Requirement to hang out and have some 'guy-time' and not be lying to her."  
  
"Yeah," said Draco. "What do they call it? Male bondage?"  
  
"Bonding, Draco!" Harry laughed. "Male bonding."  
  
Damien laughed as well, and Draco blushed when he realised what he had said.  
  
The three boys spent the hours before dinner in the Gryffindor commonroom. They played Exploding Snap and duelled with bewitched chess pieces. Damien won most of the duels, but Draco won the Exploding Snap tournament they threw amongst themselves. Harry and Damien got quite a few dirty looks from other Gryffindors for bringing a Slytherin into their commonroom, but neither of them cared much. Professor McGonagall had given them permission to bring Draco in there as long as they didn't tell him the password. He had 'accidentally' overheard it a few times, but both the Gryffindor boys knew that he would not abuse it or give it to any of the other Slytherins. After a while the clock on the commonroom wall told the boys that they ought to get going.  
  
"Ten minutes left until dinner," she said in her song-like voice. They smiled at her, put away their games and climbed through the portrait hole.  
  
When Damien, Draco and Harry reached the foot of the marble staircase Hermione came up from the library. Her nose was buried in a book called 'Numerology - Magic With Numbers'.  
  
"Hey 'Mione," said Harry as she rushed past them.  
  
"Hi," she replied without taking any notice of whom she was answering. Harry shrugged and they followed in her steps into the Great Hall. Damien tried to engage Hermione in conversation across the table during dinner, but she didn't seem to hear him. She just ate in silence, while her eyes darted over the lines on the pages of the book.  
  
"Don't bother Damien. She probably has a test in whatever she's reading soon, next week or something. She always studies like mad from the day she finds out about these things. Not that she needs to study like that though. She allready knows it all, but poor 'Mione. She has a tendency to panic. You should see her when the exams are coming up. She does nothing but study and in addition to that she is a real revision dictator when it comes to her friends."  
  
Damien laughed. "Well, I'm definitely not looking forward to that."  
  
Harry joined him in laughing. "She really means well."  
  
"I know." They finished their meal in silence.  
  
Author's note: I'm sorry that this chapter is kinda short, but the next one is longer. Much longer! It's allready sent off to be betaed! I think it'll be a week or so until I'm able to update, but my beta works alot and he also needs time to be with his boyfriend, so please bear over with him! ^-^ 


	17. Blue and Cotton

Day Walker  
  
Disclaimer: I own the Golden Bloodlines spell, the Memorium spell and the Gemini copying spell. Damien, Blue and Cotton is also mine. The rest of the wonderful characters belongs to JK. Rowling.  
  
Summary: Returning kittie, spells, remembering and plans.  
  
Warning: This is still a slash story! *Grins*  
  
Author's Note: This chapter may contain some errors because it is un- betaed. It will be reposted when my beta has looked at it, but I don't think I can keep it unposted any longer.  
  
~Chapter 17~  
  
~Blue and Cotton~  
  
The next couple of days went by without many surprises. Harry and his friends spent alot of time finishing their homework so they were sure they'd have the evening off on Friday.  
  
Thursday afternoon, three Gryffindors and a Slytherin were sitting in sofas around a table in the Entrance Hall working on an essay of the use of Buckleaf flowers in potions for Herbology. The coming week they were to brew a potion with Buckleaf flowers as one of the ingredients in Snape's lesson. He hadn't told them which, but Harry was determined to be able to brew it no matter which potion the professor chose.  
  
"This time I will be able to brew it correctly," said Harry in a slightly angry voice. "I'll show that git that I'm not a complete moron in Potions. I'm sorry Draco, but, as I guess you've noticed, he's been treating me like an irritating insect he would like to kill but is not allowed to step on. He's done that since our very first lesson." He looked at his boyfriend, who was sucking the top of his quill.  
  
"I know," said Draco. "I can't stand watching it anymore. Would you mind if I have a little chat with uncle Sev before next Potions lesson?"  
  
Harry shook his head, looking slightly puzzled.  
  
"He's not a bad guy, and he told me that he really doesn't mean to be as mean to the students as he is, but he wants to seem intimidating and has a tendency to overdo it. I've noticed, though, that he treats you even worse than the other, and I'm planning on telling him to stop it."  
  
"Will he listen to you then?" Hermione asked. "I mean, Snape completely despices Harry."  
  
Draco sighed. "I don't know if he will. He's repected my wishes on earlier occasions, or at least taken my suggestion up to consideration. I hope he will do the same this time."  
  
Harry smiled. "Thank you, D. Even if he doesn't change I know that you have tried, and that means alot." He leaned over to his boyfriend and as he was about to kiss him they heard a loud meow.  
  
"Blue!" Draco lifted up his cat and hugged him. "Where have you been, boy?"  
  
The large black cat meowed again.  
  
"Nevermind! I don't care where you've been, I'm just happy that you're back!" The blonde kissed Blue's black nose and released him to settle down beside his master, who kept petting him lovingly.  
  
"Has he been missing?" Damien asked.  
  
"Yes. I let him out four days ago and he didn't come back in at dusk like he used to. I didn't tell you," Draco adressed his boyfriend, "because cats are known for straying alittle and I didn't want you to think I was being paranoid."  
  
"I would never think that just because you were worried about your cat." Harry scratched Blue behind the ears, causing the cat to close his eyes and purr. "I'm just glad he's alright."  
  
"I think I know where he's been, though," said Hermione with a smile playing on her face.  
  
The boys looked at her with questioning looks on their faces.  
  
"I overheard Parvati and Lavender talking to each other the other day while I was studying. They were sitting at a table close by me and they're not exactly quiet."  
  
"Can you get to the point, Hermione," said Harry with a small laugh.  
  
"I'm getting there. Anyhow... Parvati was telling Lavender that her cat, Cotton, was in heat and that she had been away since around the time that Blue went missing, and yesterday they were talking about kittens at lunch so I think Cotton is pregnant. Blue might be the father."  
  
Draco grinned widely. "Kittens. How sweet! Do you know if there's any ways of checking if Blue is the father?" He looked at Hermione.  
  
"Hmmm...?" The boys could actually see her thinking, by the expression she wore. "When I think of it, I do recall reading something about that in a book once. I think I saw a spell for finding out such things. I'll go to the library now and collect the book right away. I'll be back in a few minutes." She rose to her feet and left them. Heading for the corridor leading to the library.  
  
"She's got a superb memory," said Draco, his choice of words giving away his aristocratic past.  
  
"I know," Harry replied. "You'll never catch 'Mione forgetting something she's read or even where she read it."  
  
He was right. Only moments later, she emerged from the library corridor carrying a book called 'The Breeding of Magical Creatures'.  
  
"I knew I'd seen it in here," she said while flipping over the pages. "It's in the chapter about the writing of pedigrees. Yes. Here it is." She cleared her throat and began reading aloud: "'If one of your females are pregnant un-planned, and you need the identity of the father for the offspring's pedigree, then you can preform this spell. Gather the males who it's possible could have fathered the offspring and the pregnant female. Then you let the female drink some water in which you've added some dryed Redweed from the Pacific Ocean and a crushed salmons eye. When the water is drunk, point your wand at the female's belly and say: Golden bloodlines, reveil! Not all spells are in latin," said Hermione befre she continued reading. "Then you will see thin golden strings stretching from the belly of the female to the male who inpregnated her. If that male is abscent, the belly will just glow golden for a second then go back to normal. No harm done to neither the female nor her offspring. Ps. This spell can also be used on non-magical creatures and even on humans.'" Hermione stopped reading.  
  
"Then we just have to convince Parvati to let us do a spell on her cat." Harry sighed. "That won't be easy."  
  
"Well, we'll bring her the book and the ingredients so that she can add them and preform the spell herself. I don't think she'll refuse. She seemed eager to find out who the father of the kittens were." Hermione shut the book, but had put a charm on the page of the spell so that it was a vibrant green instead of parchment colour.  
  
"I hope they're Blue's. Then I will have a legal right to half of them. Don't misunderstand me, I would not dream of taking the kittens from Parvati and Cotton, but if she agrees..."  
  
"We know, Draco." Damien smiled. "But shouldn't you wait until after we've found out if the kittens are Blue's or not? Before you start worrying about kittie-custody, I mean."  
  
Draco smiled. "You're right." He turned and faced Hermione. "Can you ask Parvati if Cotton os with kittens or not, and if she is interested in doing the spell?"  
  
"I can do that," she replied.  
  
"Send me an owl when you've asked her, will you?"  
  
Hermione nodded.  
  
"Okay. Then I can go and ask uncle Severus if I can get the ingredients tonight and we'll be ready to perform the spell tomorrow if Parvati agrees." Draco grinned.  
  
"I'm glad you can ask Professor Snape." smiled Hermione. "I wouldn't be able to steal from his storage cupboard again."  
  
The boys laughed. "Harry told me about the Polyjuice Potion and what you had to do to pull it off. I still can't believe that you thought I was the heir of Slytherin, but nevermind that now." Draco giggled. "I won't let you try that again.I think he's put up sopme wards around that cupboard now."  
  
"Do you think it'll pose a problem getting the professor to give you the stuff you need?" Damien lookeda t Draco.  
  
"Nope. If I tell him why I need it I know he'll be happy to give them to me. He's a cat person himself, but he hasn't had a cat since his cat, Gabriel Angel, died four years ago." Draco sighed. "I loved that cat. However... He might want one of Blue's kittens. I think uncle Sev has grown quite fond of Blue lately. My little kittie here has been visiting his dungeon rooms often these past couple of weeks." The slender Slytherin grinned and pet his cat. The three Gryffindors all grinned back.  
  
Harry, Hermione and Damien sat by the fire in their commonroom later that day when Parvati Patil entered the room accompanied by a gang of friends.  
  
Hermione rose quickly and approached her. "Parvati? Can I talk to you for a minute?"  
  
The other Gryffindor girl looked quite puzzled, but said "Sure" and followed Hermione away from her friends.  
  
"Am I mistaken by thinking that your cat's pregnant?"  
  
"No, you're actually quite right, but how do you know?" She looked even more puzzled.  
  
"I overheard you and Lavender talking."  
  
"Oh. I see." Parvati smiled understanding. "But why do you care about whether my cat is pregnant or not?"  
  
"Because I think that Draco Malfoy's cat, Blue, might be the father of her kittens. He has been away at the same time your cat was gone."  
  
"But we can't find out who the father is before the kittens are born though." Parvati looked at Hermione for confirmation of her statement.  
  
"Actually, we can. I found this spell you can perform to find out while they are still in the womb."  
  
"I see. Are there any risk of hurting Cotton or her children? I won't do anything that hurt them."  
  
"No no no! I wouldn't ever get myself to hurt an animal. It's a very simple and harmless spell, and all Cotton has to do is drink water with some dryed Redweed from the Pacific Ocean and one crushed salmons eye added to it to trigger the spell. So that it won't reveal if anyone else in the area is pregnant you know. Draco is getting those ingredients from the potions master tonight. You can perform the spell and add the ingredients yourself if you want to." Hermione looked Parvati straight in the eye.  
  
"Okay," said the other Gryffindor girl. "I know that those things are harmless. When can we do this? It would be nice to know if Malfoy's cat is the father, because I would like to reach an agreement with the father's owner about who'll get what kittens before they are born so that there won't be any arguements over them. Malfoy's cat is that beautiful black one, right? The one with the blue eyes?"  
  
"Yes. That's Blue. Draco wants to agree about things like that too. We can do it tomorrow after classes if that's alright with you that is?"  
  
"That's fine with me. Where shall we meet?" Parvati asked.  
  
"We can meet here, can't we?" She answered the other girl's question with a question. "I mean, we are mostly Gryffindors and Draco is actually allowed in here. He can bring Blue here."  
  
"Fine. Here it is then." She smiled.  
  
"Good." Hermione smiled back and went to join Harry and Damien. She told them what Parvati had said and wrote a short message to Draco. Instead of owling it, she summoned a house elf and asked him if he could deliver it to Draco for her. The house elf bowed and stuttered "yes off course, young mistress" before he disappeared with a lound crack. Only minutes later he reappeared, carrying a note from Draco.  
  
Hermione read it aloud to the boys. "This is what he writes: 'That's good, 'Mione. I just talked to uncle Sev. He said I'll get the ingredients tomorrow at breakfast. See you there. -Draco. Ps. Say hi and goodnight to the boys from me.'" Hermione folded the note together and tucked it into her bag. "Good," she said and pushed her hair out of her face. "I'm going upstairs to take a shower now, and then I think I'll go to bed, so I'll just leave you guys to it. Goodnight, boys." She smiled at them.  
  
"Goodnight, Hermione." Damien rose to his feet and gave her a hug.  
  
"Goodnight," said Harry and did the same.  
  
"G'night," she said again and left them.  
  
"Harry?" Damien asked carefully.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Have you finished my drawing yet? Or.. Not MY drawing, but the drawing of me... I've been meaning to ask you earlier, but I haven't got around to it. Because of everything with Bl... You know." The day walker's eyes were suddenly very busy examining the floor in front of the fireplace.  
  
"I know, and actually I put the finishing touch on the drawing of you last night before I went to bed."  
  
"Nice! Can I see it?"  
  
"Sure. I'll pop up to the dormitory and get it." Harry left Damien while he thought: 'It's safe now, 'cause we are not alone in the commonroom.' He fetched his drawing pad and the book in which he had drawn the picture of Draco. He felt like showing Damien that particulat drawing and even some of the others. He hesitated for a moment, his fingers caressed the book's back before he took a deep breath and pushed the memories aside He went back down to the commonroom.  
  
"What's that?" asked Damien when Harry put his sketch pad on the table in front of them, still holding the book.  
  
"Well..." His fingers stroked the book again. He drew his breath. "It's my Book of Ramblings. By ramblings I mean feelings put into mostly drawings, but also into words. It's drawings in there from my life with the Dursleys. Nothing of the bad, only things that made me happy. There are also stuff from after I came here. Draco. But first. The drawing of you." Harry put the book down and opened the pad to reveal a highly detailed black and white drawing of Damien.  
  
The model in person grinned widely. "I still love it! It's a good thing I don't keep them hidden all the time, isn't it?" He pointed at his drawn self's fangs.  
  
Harry smiled. "You're right. It's a pity actually. If it was up to me you wouldn't hide them at all."  
  
"Oh? You like them?" Damien raised one eyebrow and smiled playfully.  
  
Harry shook his head. "You're back to your old self again, I see." He laughed."And yes, I like them. They're... Er... A nice feature."  
  
"Yeah, right." The other boy laughed as well. "Speaking of nice features, are you saving?"  
  
"Saving what?"  
  
"Your hair. I've noticed you haven't cut it at all since I got here."  
  
"Er... Not really. I just haven't thought of cutting it because now, when it's longer, I can manage it. Why do you ask? Do you think I should cut it?" Harry pulled self-consciously at a lock of his raven black hair.  
  
"No" For God's sake, no. I love long hair on a guy. The feel of it running through my fingers. And, by the way, you look both older and better with your hair long." Damien grinned. "There's only one more thing I would like to change about you."  
  
"What?" The green eyed boy was curious.  
  
"Your glasses. Or how about loosing the glasses all together? Ever considered contact lenses? It's not fair to hide your eyes with those horrible glasses."  
  
"Actually I have. I really hate my glasses, but it's just that I've never worried about my looks before." Harry shrugged. "I think I'll look at some new glasses next Hogsmeade weekend. Or maybe I should consider contacts. I'll have to think about that."  
  
"Nice. And don't worry about your looks. You're looks are great. So are you drawing skills." The blue eyed halfblood changed the subject smoothly.  
  
"Thank you. You can have a copy of this if you like?" said Harry, happy that they were not talking about his looks anymore. He pointed at the drawing of the vampire.  
  
"I'd love that actually."  
  
"Okay." Harry took out his want and touched the drawing with its tip, and said "Gemini!" An identical drawing appeared next to the original. The only difference was that the copy had a tiny 'G' in the bottom left corner. Harry handed it to Damien. "The 'G' works as a copyright mark that stops any type of copying spell. It's not that I think you'll copy it or anything, but it's the only copying spell I know."  
  
"It's okay. I don't know any at all." He fell silent for a moment. "Harry? Can I see some of your other drawings?"  
  
Harry nodded and opened the book on its very first page. It was the drawing of a spider. I can start by telling you how I got this book.  
  
The other boy nodded.  
  
"I was walking home from school one day because Dudley, my cousin, had stuffed me in a broom cupboard so that I missed the bus.I think I was nine. On my walk to get to my aunt and uncle's house I saw a bottle at the side of the road. For no reason in particular, I picked up the bottle and put it in my bookbag. And then I saw another one and another and another. There were so many along the road that by the time I reached a super market where I could exchange them for money, I had my arms full and I left the store with a handfull of coins. More money than I had ever had. I carried them around in my pocket for weeks before Dudley pushed me in the cupboard again and I had to walk home. I took a different route that time and passed a bookstore. I had never been in a bookstore and decided to go inside. I was in awe and stayed for as long as I dared, in fear of getting beated by my uncle when I got home for being late. I left with a pencil and eraser of my own, not just something I got at school. I also bought a cheap drawing pad. I have always loved to draw, but never got much of a chance to. In addition to those items I bought this book. It was meant to be a journal, but I've never actually used it as that though. The drawing pad got used up quickly due to late night drawing in my cupboard under the stairs and since I didn't have any money so I moved on to using this to draw in. I didn't draw quite as much after that since I didn't know how long I had to use it." Harry smiled. "It lasted me until I got here. After that I've been magically expanding it everytime it needs it. I've also begun to using it for other things besides drawing."  
  
Damien smiled back at his housemate, but looked sad. "I didn't know it was that bad while you were with your relatives. You actually lived in a cupboard under the stairs?"  
  
"Yes, I did. Until I was eleven. I got my cousin's second bedroom the summer before I came here. But that was because of Dumbledore, not because my uncle and aunt became soft with me."  
  
"I see, but none of that explains the spider." Damien looked at the page of the book.  
  
"While I was still living under stairs I had only spiders to keep me company. Therefore I drew spiders. I have a whole folder of them in my trunk upstairs. Not only spiders off course, but alot of the." Harry smiled at the thought of his old drawings.  
  
"May I turn the page?"  
  
"Sure," replied Harry. He guided Damien through several drawings of spiders and landscapes before they reached the ones from after he came to Hogwarts. The first one was of the castle. "I did that one only a couple of days after I arrived here. I know it has flaws, but it was the first building I ever drew."  
  
"I can't see any flaws, but I guess you know where they are." Damien studied the drawing carefully.  
  
The second one was of a snitch gleaming in the light from an invisible sun, surrounded by the words 'Quidditch', 'Seeker' and 'Snitch'.  
  
The half-vampire smiled. "Ah.. A young boy's first love..."  
  
They both laughed alittle before they continued flipping the pages. Past pixies and scarlet engines, Hagrid and Fang, Fawkes on the shoulder of his master, and Professor McGonagall standing next to a cat.  
  
"Does McGonagall have a cat?" Damien asked.  
  
"No. That cat is her. She is an animagus, but I guess you haven't seen her change. She stopped frightening us with that in our second year." Harry smiled.  
  
"Too bad. I've never seen an animagus change." He sighed.  
  
"It's actually quite fascinating."  
  
When Harry turned the page, he revealed the recently finished drawing of Draco. Damien asked for no story to go with the drawing, but as though he knew what had gone through Harry's mind when the drawing was concieved, he said: "He's beautiful, isn't he? He was then too. Because he was younger when this was drawn?"  
  
"yes, he was. Both younger and beautiful. It was in my fourth year here at Hogwarts. But I've just recently finished it."  
  
"You're talented," Damien said, and he repeated that alot while they went through the drawings. Ron, Hermione, Hedwig. Damien was especially surprised by one of Hermione that Harry had drawn right after the ball during the Triwizard Contest.  
  
"She should really get a permanent straightening spell put on that bushy hair of hers. Normally she's just avarage, but like that – and I know you haven't corrected anything about her, I can see that – like that she's beautiful. I think so, and I'm gay! It's the hair that does all the difference."  
  
"I know. She's actually quite attractive for a girl, but her hair sorta hides it." Harry looked at the drawing of his friend.  
  
"Has she ever had a boyfriend? Just wonder. Never heard her mention anyone."  
  
"I don't think so. Not serious at least. She got very comfy with Viktor Krum – yes THE Viktor Krum – while he was here for the Triwizard Tournament, but that didn't get any further I think. She hasn't told me if it did. Then she and Ron was fooling around, but Ron ended it because there weren't any feelings beyond friendship between them. I don't think either of them were that upset about it. This was early last year." Harry's eyes filled with tears at the thought of his dead friend.  
  
"You really miss you, don't you?" Damien put a hand on Harry's shoulder.  
  
"Yeah. I know I haven't shown it much, but there has been so many nice things happening this semester that I haven't been able to mourn him in public, but I've mourned. At night." Harry stopped talking and wiped away the tears that clung bravely to his eyelashes. "I just wish I knew why. He didn't even leave a letter." He sniffled.  
  
"I know. We all wish that. Even I would like to know that, and I know him that well." Damien let his thumb gently stroke Harry's shoulder while he spoke. "Did you draw him too?"  
  
Harry nodded and flipped the pages of his Book of Ramblings past some poems, a drawing of a large black dog and a Firebolt racing broom to the drawings of Ron. Four pages were filled with the frecked face. He was smiling in all of the drawings. A few of them were in colour.  
  
"Magically coloured?" Damien asked.  
  
The other black haired boy nodded.  
  
"They're nice. They portray Ron like you want to remember him?"  
  
"Yes." Harry pointed his wand at the bottom right corner of the first page of Rons. "Memorium!" The words 'In loving memory' appeared where the wand tip had touched the paper. "He deserves it."  
  
"He does."  
  
Harry yawned.  
  
"Should we look at more drawings some other day, Harry?" Damien's thumb stroked again. "It's getting a little late."  
  
Harry looked around. The commonroom was emptying, and the clock on the wall told him that it had gone tow and a half hours since Hermione had left them. "I think so."  
  
"I'm getting a little tired myself and we have a lot to do tomorrow." He took his hand of the other boy's shoulder.  
  
Harry nearly moved after the retreating hand, not wanting to lose the touch, but he was able to restrain himself. "You're right. Let's get to bed." They both got up and climbed the stairs to the dormitories together, but parted outside the door to Harry's dormitory.  
  
"Goodnight, Harry."  
  
"Goodnight."  
  
Damien turned around to go to his own dorm.  
  
"Damien?"  
  
He turned and faced Harry again.  
  
"Can I have a hug?" Harry sniffled.  
  
"Off course you can." The blue eyed boy put his arms around the small frame of the boy in front of him.  
  
"Thank you," whispered Harry.  
  
"Your welcome," Damien whispered back.  
  
~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~  
  
The following mornig, Friday morning, Harry, Hermione and Damien arrived at the Great Hall for breakfast quite early, but Draco had still beaten them to it. He was sitting at the end of the Slytherin table talking to Severus Snape. After a couple of minutes, the Gryffindors had sat down and their potions master was on his way back to the teacher's table. Draco caught Harry's attention and held up two very small glass jars. Harry grinned at his boyfriend, and even gave Snape an appreciative smile. He only got a scowl in return. It wasn't even his cat, but he was still excited about the kittens.  
  
The classes of the day went good. Harrt got some homework, but most of the teachers gave the students the weekend off. When the last class ended Hermione went up to the Gryffindor tower with Damien to meet with Parvati, while Harry walked down to the Entrance Hall to wait for Draco to come up from the Slytherin dungeons. After ten minutes of waiting, the blonde head of Draco Malfoy appeared at the bottom of the stairs.  
  
"Hi, D." Harry smiled at his lover.  
  
"Hello, luv." Draco put one hand on Harry's left hip and the other one on his lower back and pulled him into a gentle kiss. They stood like that for a couple of minutes simply enjoying the taste of eachother before Harry pulled out of it.  
  
"The other's are waiting for us in the Gryffindor commonroom, my sweet. We have to get going. You have the ingredients, I presume?"  
  
"Yes. I have them right here." He indicated one of his pockets. "Let's get up there."  
  
"Haven't you forgot something else, D?"  
  
"What? I have the Redweed and the...I've forgot Blue!" He released his giggling boyfriend and ran back down into the dungeons. He reappeared only moments later with the black cat in his arms."Now we can go." He grabbed Harry's hand with the one of his that wasn't carrying Blue and they walked hand in hand up the marble staircase to the Gryffindor tower.  
  
Parvati checked and added the two ingredients to the water herself and gave it to her cat, Cotton, but she let Hermione perform the actual spell.  
  
"You, Parvati, stand here." Hermione pointed to her left. "And you, Draco. You and Blue, stand there." She pointed to her right. "Are you ready?"  
  
Both the cat owners nodded.  
  
"Okay," said Hermione as she whipped out her wand and pointed it at Cotton's belly. "Golden Bloodlines!" Cotton's belly glowed and a thin string of gold erupted from the glow. The string lengthened and then made contact with Blue. Hermione smiled and said: "Finite Incantatem!" The golden strings dissapeared.  
  
Draco kissed Blue on the head and walked up to Parvati and scratched Cotton under her chin.  
  
"So," said Parvati with a smile. "We're having kittens."  
  
"Yeah." Draco smiled back.  
  
"I've been thinking about how to split the kittens between the owers of the mother and the father, and I've got an idea."  
  
The Slytherin nodded and motioned for her to continue.  
  
"I think we should get half each or so. If there are a number of kittens that can be divided on two then we can take half each. You, the first half and me the second half or vice versa. And if there are an odd number of them, let's say five, you get three and I get two, if you agree on that? I only want the kittens to have good homes and as a catowner and obvious catlover, I'm certain that you will provide that for them." Parvati looked at Draco.  
  
"That sounds like a very good idea." The blonde boy smiled. "Wil you please let me know, somehow, when Cotton goes into labour. I would like to be there when the kittens are born."  
  
"I can do that. You know, Malfoy. You're not that bad for a Slytherin."  
  
Draco smiled. "Call me Draco."  
  
"Parvati." She held out her hand and he grabbed it. She smiled and petted Blue before she left the four friends.  
  
Harry and Damien, who hadn't spoke a word during the ritual, got up. Damien petted Blue and Harry kissed his boyfriend.  
  
"You're gonna be a dad, boy," purred the half-blood to the cat. "You're gonna be a dad."  
  
Draco grinned. "This is so much fun! Uncle Sev'll be thrilled. It was like I said, you know. He did want one of the kittens. He said that he needed some companionship in his dungeons again. He has grieved Gabriel Angel long enough and now he wants a new kittie."  
  
"So do I," said Damien. "If you don't want to keep the rest of them though."  
  
"Hmmm... I want to keep at least one and, as I've said, uncle Sev is getting one, but if I get three kittens or more, you can have one. Deal?" Draco held out his hand.  
  
Damien shook it. "Deal!" They both smiled.  
  
"Shall we do our homework before dinner?" asked Harry. "So that we're done with it."  
  
"Harry? Are you willingly doing homework before you have to?" Hermione looked at him suspiciously. "You never do that. What are you guys up to?"  
  
"We're not 'up to' anything." Harry stuck his tongue out at her. "It's It's just that we," he made a gesture towards Draco and Damien, "are going to the Room of Requirement tonight. To have some male-bonding time."  
  
Damien started laughing. "Or male bondage, if you ask Draco."  
  
"It was a mistake." Draco pouted.  
  
"We know, D." Harry smiled. "But we have to be allowed to tease you about it. It's funny." Draco snorted, and that made the two other boys laugh even harder.  
  
Hermione chuckled as well. "Male bondage," she mumbled and chuckled more.  
  
"You want to come along, 'Mione?" Harry asked, knowing she'd decline.  
  
"Actually, I have plans allready."  
  
"What kind of plans, 'Mione?" Damien asked in a childish voice.  
  
"Yeah, Hermione. What kind of plans?" Harry adopted Damien's kiddie voice.  
  
She smiled. "I'll tell you some other time." She checked the clock on the wall quickly. "But right now I have to get ready." She actuallt giggled and jogged up the stairs to the girl's dormitories.  
  
"When did she become so secretive?" Damien was slightly taken aback. "I think it's she who's up to things, not us."  
  
The other boys nodded in agreement, and all three of them sat down and co- operated on getting their homework done. By dinner time they had finished all of it.  
  
Hermione hadn't come down from her dormitory by the time the boys left the Gryffindor commonroom and she didn't show up for dinner either. Harry looked around to see if there was an other person missing whom she might be with, but in the sea of dining students he could barely even recognise people.  
  
As soon as they were finished eating, Harry, Draco and Damien headed up to the seventh floor. When they reached the tapestry of Barnabas they walked past the hidden entrance to the Room of Requirement, all of them thinking hard about a place of privacy.  
  
Author's note: Here you go! This chappie wasn't that short, now was it? *Smiles* Suddenly Blue popped up and demanded to be re-introduced, and I can't deny him anything. (Yes, I know that he's only in my head, but I still love him!)  
  
The name of Severus Snape's late cat is a tribute to my beta Josh and his kitties. Joshie, luv, I would have included Miss Bella too, but because of Bellatrix Lestrange I decided not to.. Hope she's not too offended. I'll make it up tp her on a later occasion. *Giggles*  
  
Who do you think I should pair Hermione up with? I have a few ideas myself, but I'm always open for suggestions. My own ideas: Ginny Seamus Dean One of the Weasly twins (they are still there aren't they? They are only a year older than Harry, right?) Neville 


	18. Room Of Requirement

Day Walker  
  
Disclaimer: I only own Damien and the snake Salazar, not the name Salazar. That name belongs to JK. Rowling along with the rest of the characters in this chapter.  
  
Summary: The three boys enter the Room of Requirement.  
  
Warning: This story contains slash, as in kissing, touching or sexual contact between people of the same sex. In this case, boys.  
  
Author's Note: This chapter may contain some errors because it is un- betaed. It will be reposted when my beta has looked at it.  
  
//...// Parseltongue  
  
~Chapter 18~  
  
~Room of Requirement~  
  
When they reached the tapestry of Barnabas they walked past the hidden entrance to the Room of Requirement, all of them thinking hard about a place of privacy. The very second they passed it the third time, an invisible knife cut a door in the stone wall at the boys' left hand side and a doorknob popped out if the brick. Harry turned the doorknob and opened the door. The three boys stepped through it and into a large room with three fluffy armchairs, two big sofas, a big table with carvings of snakes on its legs and a case of Butterbeers standing next to the table.  
  
"Who ordered that?" Harry pointed at the Butterbeer case.  
  
"Guilty." Damien attempted to look guilty as well. It failed. "I just love Butterbeer and thought that this would be a great oppertunity to get my hands on some outside of a Hogsmeade weekend." He smiled shortly.  
  
"Good idea!" Draco smiled back.  
  
"Yeah." Harry smiled too and turned to his boyfriend. "You'll do the snake summoning, right? I would have, but I haven't done it before and for Damien's sake I don't want to screw it up."  
  
"Sure. I'll handle that. Should we do it right away?"  
  
"What do you want, Damien? You're the one being 'Parseltested' here."  
  
"I want to do it now, so we can get on with enjoying ourselves." He grinned. "I'm ready. Bring it on!"  
  
"Okay."  
  
The boys stood in the shape of a crescent moon with Draco in the middle, and Harry and Damien on either side of him, facing each other. Neither of the Gryffindors had their wands out. Draco, on the other hand held his wand firmly and pointed it between the two other boys.  
  
"Serpentsortia!" he said loudly. A thick green snake erupted from the tip of Draco's wand and slithered through the air before it landed at Damien's feet.  
  
"What do I do now?" Damien asked Harry.  
  
"Just look at the snake and say something to it. If you're a Parselmouth it'll come naturally."  
  
Damien took a deep breath. "Hi snake."  
  
"You're not looking at the snake."  
  
The half blood lowered his eyes and human blue met reptilian yellow. //Hi sssnake.//  
  
//Hello ssspeaker.// The snake looked around. //Ssspeakersss.//  
  
//Hello,// said Harry.  
  
//I've ssseen you before, ssspeaker,// said the snake to Harry. //But I didn't sssee you asss friend then.//  
  
Harry looked confused. //Were you sssummoned thossse yearsss ago asss well?//  
  
//Yesss. When my sssummoner,// the snake cast a look at Draco, //cassstsss thisss ssspell I come. Never another. Lassst time I sssaw you, young ssspeaker I wasss sssummoned for vengance. What isss my purpossse now?//  
  
Damien spoke again. //You were called ssso I could find out if I wasss a ssspeaker.// He used the snakes own term. //Ssshall we releassse you now?//  
  
//Releassse me? You mussst mean recapture me?//  
  
The two Parselmouths were looking quite shocked and Draco had a slightly curious look on his face. Harry mouthed 'later' to his boyfriend.  
  
//Yesss, young ssspeakersss. I am trapped inssside my sssummoner'sss wand. He gave birth to me when he firssst cassst the ssspell, but when I wasss vanissshed I became trapped in hisss wand. Everytime I get sssummoned I get a tassste of freedom, but after every of my sssummoningsss I have been vanissshed back into the wand.// The snake looked sad.  
  
Harry looked at Damien. "We can't."  
  
Damien shook his head.  
  
"Can't what?" Draco asked. Harry filled him in on what the snake had told them. The Slytherin shuddered. "No, you're right. We can't."  
  
Damien looked at the snake again. //What isss your name?//  
  
//I have no name, ssspeaker. But what'sss yoursss?// The snake looked even sadder.  
  
//I'm Damien and thisss is Harry and Draco.//  
  
The snake bowed his head at them in a gesture of submission.  
  
//May I name you?//  
  
//Sssure.//  
  
Harry and Draco remained quiet.  
  
"May I?" Damien asked Draco. "Technically, he belongs to you. You're his summoner."  
  
"May you what?" Draco asked back.  
  
"Name him. He has no name."  
  
Draco nodded.  
  
//I give you the name of Sssalazzzar, after the one who firssst cassst the ssserpentsssortia ssspell.// Damien bowed his head to the snake. //We will grant you you freedom if you promissse to ssstay loyal to usss, and to hunt only outssside the cassstle.//  
  
//I give you my word, young ssspeaker.//  
  
"I'm setting him free," said Damien to Draco, who nodded again. //You're free to leave usss,// said the half blood to the snake and opened the window.  
  
//Thank you, Damien ssspeaker, and Harry ssspeaker and Draco ssspell cassster.//  
  
Harry told his boyfriend what the snake had said and translated his 'your welcome' for him.  
  
Salazar slithered out the window and down the gutter to the ground.  
  
"I'll never cast that spell!" Damien shivered even though the room was quite warm.  
  
"Me neither." Harry shook his head slightly.  
  
"I'll never, ever do it again." Draco looked at the window Salazar had left through. "Poor snake. What did you name him?"  
  
"Salazar."  
  
"Oh." Draco nodded. "That's a good name."  
  
"I think so too," said Harry. Damien smiled at them both.  
  
"Are you able to talk to each other in Parseltongue?" The blonde looked at both the Gryffindors.  
  
"I don't know," said Harry and walked over to one of the large sofas and dropped onto its softness. "Voldemort can talk Parseltongue even though there are no snakes present. We could try."  
  
Damien nodded, and the two boys looked at each other. "Would you want a Butterbeer?" Damien asked Harry, and handed him a bottle.  
  
"English," commented Draco.  
  
"Yes, please." Harry took the bottle from the other Parselmouth's hand. "Thank you."  
  
"English," Draco repeated.  
  
//Your welcome,// Damien hissed.  
  
"Snakeish." Draco pointed out.  
  
"I found the secret!" The half blood beamed. "If you picture me with certain snake-like features if works. I pictured you with scaly skin and yellow eyes."  
  
"I'll try." The other raven haired boy ifxed his gaze upon his housemate. He pictured a thin split tongue lap at the air infront of him and he also pictured Damien's complection to be a slight shade of green, //Doesss thisss work?//  
  
"Snakeish," Draco pointed out again.  
  
//Yesss, it doesss, ssserpent ssspeaker,// Damien hissed with a grin.  
  
//Can you remove the concealing ssspell now? You are in the company of friendsss here.//  
  
//Sssure.// He whipped out his wand and tapped his teeth twice with it.  
  
"Wicked!" Draco's mouth feel open. "I knew that you're a half blood vampire, but hell! No one told me you had fangs!"  
  
"Harry was the only one here that knew, and I asked him not to tell."  
  
"Sorry, D." Harry put his arm around his boyfriend and grinned widely. "They are great, aren't they?"  
  
"They're nice." The blonde shook his head in disbelief. "I mean.. It looks good. Sort of completes your appearance, if you know what I mean?"  
  
"I know." Damien smiled. "I like them. Don't feel whole when they're hidden, but I can't run around showing them to everyone, now can I?" He laughed.  
  
"Don't think that would be a good idea. Come and sit down, you two," said Harry. "Let's have some drinks."  
  
They drank and toasted for a long time, and neither of the three seemed to notice that the pile of empty bottles was getting bigger and bigger, while the case of full bottles never seemed to empty. Butterbeer's not a strong drink, but after ten bottles each the boys were getting slightly gigglish.  
  
"Hey!" Draco raised his bottle." I have an idea. Let's play Truth or Dare."  
  
"No." Damien shook his head.  
  
"Are you scared, fangie?" asked Draco teasingly and Harry began to make chicken sounds.  
  
Damien shook his head again. This time with a grin on his face. "I am not scared. Let's get started." He took a big sip of his Butterbeer and leaned back in his sofa.  
  
Draco laughed. "I'll start then. Harry." He turned towards the Gryffindor. "Truth or Dare?"  
  
"Hmmm... Truth."  
  
"Who was the first boy you kissed?"  
  
"His name was Martin Brown. He wasn't my boyfriend of anything, but he let me out of a broom cupboard that I had been pushed into once, and I was so thankful and he was cute so I kissed him. He sorta kissed me back for a second too, but then I ran away and never dared to look at him again."  
  
"Poor baby," said Draco and leaned over to stroke his boyfriend's hair. "Now, you ask."  
  
"Okay. Damien. Truth or Dare?"  
  
"Er... Dare."  
  
"Dare... Let's see. I'm lousy at making up dares, but you can alway..." He swept Draco's shoes and socks of his feet with the same spell Draco had used to rid them of snow earlier that winter. "You can always suck Draco's toes." Harry laughed. "One foot or both, you choose."  
  
Draco chuckled and wiggled his toes at Damien. "They are clean. I showered this morning."  
  
"I'd much rather suck something else," Damien muttered under his breath.  
  
"What?" Draco looked at the boy kneeling down in front of him.  
  
"Nothing," said Damien and took the blonde's in his hands and let his tongue slip slip around the smallest toe before he took it in his mouth.  
  
Draco giggled excitedly at the feeling of wet, soft lips surrounding his toe. Damien repeated the treatment until he had given all of the toes on Draco's right foot the same amount of attention. He finished it with planting a kiss on the Slytherin's big toe.  
  
Draco held out his other foot. "Left foot now, please." He chuckled. "It was nice."  
  
Harry grinned. "I kind of heard that." He referred to the small moans and sighs his boyfriend had uttered during Damien's dare.  
  
Draco chuckled again.  
  
"My turn." Damien let his blue eyes dart from Harry to Draco and back again. "Draco. Truth or Dare?"  
  
"You look so malicious that I say truth."  
  
"Was Harry the first you had sex with? Because I know you have. Neither of you smells like virgins. Vampire's sense of smell," he explained to the puzzled-looking Draco. "And sometimes you just smell too much of each other not to have had sex."  
  
"No, he wasn't. A fifth year Ravenclaw was. Except he was a fourth year back then."  
  
"Who?" Damien asked.  
  
"You know that follow-ups aren't allowed? But I'll let it slide this time. His name is Johnny Wolff."  
  
"Oh. I know who hw is. He's that skinny guy with the auburn hair. Dark green eyes. You commented on his ass the other day in the corridor outside of Transfiguration, Damien."  
  
"Yeah... Nice ass on him." Damien mimicked grabbing something round.  
  
"I know." Draco grinned. "No offence, Harry luv."  
  
"None taken. I have eyes, you know." Harry grinned back at his boyfriend. "I know that his ass is gorgeous. It's definetly among the nicest asses in Hogwarts."  
  
"You're right." Damien nodded. "Second placed after mine off course."  
  
"Yeah," said the tow boys at once. "After yours."  
  
They all broke out in laughter.  
  
"Your turn again, D." Harry smiled at his boyfriend when the laughing had died down again.  
  
"Yup! Damien again. Truth or dare?"  
  
The black haired boy smiled. "It's very tempting to chose dare again, but this time I say truth."  
  
"Okay. Have you ever bitten someone with those fangs of yours?"  
  
"No, actually, I haven't. I'm afraid I might turn the person I biite into a vampire. It would have been fun to know what it's like to bite someone. I want to know what blood tastes like. Not that I want to start feeding like a full blood or anything. But you know, it's tempting. I would have to find out whether I could change the one I bite though."  
  
"I understand." Harry smiled. "I don't think you you would want to start feeding either. I understand your curiousity regarding the taste too. Bloodplay sounds quite sexy."  
  
Damien shot a playful look at Harry before they continued to play. For a while none of them touched the subject sex, but it was bound to come up again. It was Draco who brought it back.  
  
"Damien. Truth or dare?"  
  
"Truth." Damien had done three dares in a row: Jumped around the room on one foot, sung the Hogwarts song with the melody of a Muggle song called 'We Will Rock You' and turned one of the sofas into a sheep and back. So he needed a brake.  
  
"Well then. If you could pick two people in the entire world to join you in a threesome, who would you pick?"  
  
Damein choked on his mouthful of Butterbeer. "Can I have another question?"  
  
"No!" Both the other boys shook their heads. "You have to answer this one, and full names would be nice."  
  
'It has to be someone we know since he doesn't want to answer it,' thought Harry. 'But we won't tell anyone. He knows that.'  
  
The third boy blushed furiously, but nodded. "Draco Thomas Malfoy and Harry James Potter," said Damien and took a deep breath.  
  
Harry's jaw dropped.  
  
Draco, however, stayed perfectly calm and took the first sip of his freshly opened, sixteeenth, Butterbeer and said: "That might be arranged."  
  
Harry's jaw dropped even further.  
  
"Don't you want to, Harry?" Draco took another large sip of his drink and looked at his boyfriend through the bottle. He got to his feet and walked across the floor.  
  
"Er... Well... I... Er..." Harry stuttered and occupied himself with getting the cork of a new bottle.  
  
Damien looked down and brushed invisible specks of dust of his robes.  
  
"Am I the only one who's interested in this idea?* Draco let his arms fall to his sides. "Well, then I'll stop talking now before I make a complete fool of my horney self." he emptied his bottle in one big gulp, sat down in an armchair and they all remained silent for a long while, sitting in their sofas and armchair.  
  
Damien was the first to speak. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make this akward. We were having such fun and I ruined it. But I don't regret saying what I did. I believe in honesty." He looked at the floor to avoid the other boys' eyes.  
  
"Don't appologize Damien. I never should have asked. That is private, but it's out there now. But I'm the one who should appologize." Draco moved from his armchair and sat down next ot Damien in his sofa.  
  
"It's okay Draco. You couldn't know." Damien smiled shortly. "I do owe you an appology though, Harry."  
  
"No you don't. I apprechiate honesty in a friend." Harry moved over to Damien and Draco too and sat on the other side of the Damien. "Actually, I'm quite flattered." Harry blushed and so did Damien. Both Harry and Draco put their arms around their half blood friend. The three boys sat like that, tangled together, for a while before Harry suddenly giggled, tickled Damien and ran away from him, across the room.  
  
The vampire looked at Draco. "Let's get him."  
  
The Slytherin nodded, then both boys set after him and chased his screaming and giggling around the room.  
  
"I surrender," panted Harry after about ten laps around the room. He collapsed on the sofa they all had sat in, and his friend and lover threw themselves down next to him, Harry in the middle of the three.  
  
"You're fast." Damien wiped some imaginary sweat off his forehead. "I'll give you that.  
  
"You should see me when I haven't had anything to drink," Harry said, laughing. "Then I'm able to run in a straight line aswell!"  
  
Draco and Damien laughed and snuggled up against Harry. The green eyed wizard put his head on his boyfriend's shoulder and pulled the other dark haired boy's head down onto his own shoulder. Draco leaned his head on Harry's.  
  
"I love you guys," said Harry and kissed Damien's forhead and Draco's cheek.  
  
"I love you too," said Damien and snuggled up even closer to Harry.  
  
"And I love you." Draco let an arm slide around his boyfriend's waist. His hand came to rest on Damien's stomach. They sat that way, in silence, and it didn't take long until they all slipped into the land of dreams. 


	19. Brotherly Love

Day Walker  
  
Disclaimer: I have borrowed all the characters in my chapter, except Damien, from JK. Rowling.  
  
Summary: Ginny tells Harry something disturbing, yet clearefying.  
  
Warning: Slash and light mentioned incest.  
  
Author's Note: This chapter may contain some errors because it is un- betaed. It will be reposted when my beta has looked at it, but I don't think I can keep it unposted any longer.  
  
~Chapter 19~  
  
~Brotherly Love~  
  
Harry was the first to wake up Saturday morning. The first couple of seconds he was confused, but he quickly remembered where he was. He was still between Damien and Draco, both boys close to him. Holding him. One thing that had changed since the night before was the piece of furniture on which the boys slept. The sofa had shifted form during the night and had become a bed big enough for the three boys and then some. They were also covered by a large blanket and their heads rested on pillows.  
  
'The room really adapts itself to the visitor's needs,' Harry thought and reached out to pull Draco closer. At the same time Damien mumbled something in his sleep and Harry felt the half blood's arm around his waist. Harry smiled and silently asked the Room of Requirement for a clock. One identical to the clock in the Gryffindor commonroom appeared on the wall. It was five thirty in the morning, so Harry asked the clock to wake them up half an hour before breakfast. Then he closed his eyes and fell asleep again.  
  
Four hours later, the clock's soft voice told the three boys that it was half an hour left for beakfast. Harry was the first to wake up that time too, and smiled at the two boys stirring on either side of him. He ran his fingers through Draco's blonde hair, untidy from sleeping, and kissed him gently on the lips to wake him up, and both Harry and Draco brought Damien back to the world of the awake by planting one kiss each on his cheek. The half blood woke up, blushing.  
  
"Good morning, cuties." Harry sat up and looked at the two boys next to him.  
  
"Good morning," said Damien while he yawned widely.  
  
"Good morning." The Slytherin got up on his knees and put his arms around his sitting boyfriend and kissed him passionatly. Harry let his hands wander to Draco's lower back, genlty stroking through wrinkled robes. The blonde stroked the black haired boy's body lovingly and one hand disappeared inside Harry's robes. Harry moaned softly when Draco's fingers touched his skin.  
  
"Hey!" Damien interrupted their kiss and caressing. "Will you please stop it?"  
  
"Sorry. Didn't mean to make uncomfortable." Harry moved a little away from his boyfriend.  
  
Damien laughed. "Well, you might call it uncomfortable. You guys were turning me on with that little show of yours."  
  
It was Harry's turn to blush.  
  
Draco just laughed and opened his arms. "Come here, Damien."  
  
Damien got to knees as well and Harry and Draco embraced him aswell as each other. The three boys hugged at first, then Harry kissed Damien's lips shortly. He let his tongue trace the half blood's lower lip before he broke the kiss.  
  
Damien's eyes were wide with surprise.  
  
Draco cradled Damien's face in his hands and kissed him too.  
  
While his boyfriend kissed their mutual friend, Harry stroked Damien's back to relax him. He let his fingers play with the hair at the back of his neck and then he started kissing the side of the vampire's neck. Harry let his kisses move upward to Damien's jaw and to his chin until he broke the kiss between Draco and the blue eyed Gryffindor. His lips took the place of his boyfriend's and he continued to kiss his friend. Damien parted his lips and allowed Harry's tongue to explore his warm mouth.  
  
Draco started kissing and gently biting Harry's earlobe and stroking Damien's chest and stomach through his robes. The half blood moaned as the Slytherin boy's fingers stroked him from his stomach down to his inner thigh.  
  
Harry put his right hand on the back of Draco's neck and pulled him into the kiss. Their tongues entwined and their three pairs of lips caressed each other tenderly.  
  
Damien stroked and massaged the two boys' asses gently and they moaned into each other's mouths in respond.  
  
They were all so lost in the kiss that neither of them heard the clock telling them it was only a couple of minutes left before breakfast until she yelled: "It's time for breakfast!"  
  
The boys were quite startled and Harry even gave a little yelp when she shouted at them.  
  
They broke unwillingly apart, but gave each other one last kiss. Draco put some de-wrinkle spells on their robes while Damien combed Harry's hair with his fingers. Neither he nor Draco's hair had gotten as tangled as Harry's during the night.  
  
"May I?" Damien smiled and leaned slightly towards Harry.  
  
"Yeah." Harry smiled back and their lips met briefly.  
  
"Draco?" The vampire turned his attention to the Slytherin boy.  
  
Draco nodded and kissed Damien genlty.  
  
"Thank you." Blue eyes met grey and then green. "Let's go down and get some breakfast."  
  
When they reached the Great Hall, all the other students were halfway through their meal, and the three boys didn't attract much attention when they snuck in the door and over to the Gryffindor and Slytherin tables.  
  
"Hey." Hermione smiled. "You're late. Where have you been? I heard that you didn't sleep in your dormitories last night and I guess Draco didn't either."  
  
"We fell asleep in the Room of Requirement, that's all, and we overslept this morning. So therefore, we are late for breakfast."  
  
"I see." She looked at him and Damien with with a twinkle in her eyes.  
  
The two Parselmouths looked at each other.  
  
//If ssshe had only known.// Damien hisssed in such a low voice that only Harry could hear him.  
  
//I don't know what ssshe would have sssaid, but I think it would have been sssome sssort of lecture on faithfulnesss. But technically, no one'sss been unfaithful to anyone.// Harry whisperd back in Parseltongue while he grinned.  
  
//No. You were both there. I felt you.//  
  
//You are a very good kisssser, ssspeaker. I'm glad I got a chance to find that out without guilt.//  
  
Damien looked deep into Harry's eyes and Harry felt like kissing him right there and then. The half blood smiled softly. //Do you want to complete what wasss ssstarted thisss morning sssometime?//  
  
//We'll sssee. Now, let'sss eat,// he said, but the looks he sent his boyfriend and the way he studied Damien showed that he really wanted something else than food.  
  
Damien smiled and helped himself to some toast and marmelade.  
  
Harry also got some food onto his plate and ate in silence while he thought about the kiss he had shared with the two boys. He had fantasized about threesome-kisses, but he never had he imagined that it was that good. 'We have to do that again,' he thought. 'Even if that means that I have to seduce them both myself! Or maybe just use a love potion?' He kept debating with what he should use to get Damien and Draco into bed with him in his mind. He had just decided on using his charm and nudity when he felt a hesitating finger tap him on the shoulder. He turned around and looked into the brown eyes of Ginny Weasly. They were sad, and she had a serious look on her face.  
  
"Will you come with me Harry?" Ginny asked vaguely.  
  
"Right now?" Harry swallowed the last piece of his toast.  
  
"If that's alright with you, yes, right now."  
  
"Okay." He got to his feet. "I'll see you later," he said to Damien and Hermione before he followed Ginny out into the Entrance Hall. "What is it, Ginny?"  
  
"Well... Er... I don't know how to tell you this." She sat down on a bench in a corner of the Hall. She placed a silencing spell on the corner they were in.  
  
Harry sat down next to her. "Just tell me."  
  
She started pacing in a ring within the spell. She stopped suddenly. "I know why Ron killed himself," she blurted out. Her eyes widened and they were filled up with tears.  
  
Harry was shocked. "But... But... I was told that he didn't leave a note."  
  
"He left one for me. Only me." She pulled out an envelope from her pocket. "You'll have to read it yourself. I can't take it anymore."  
  
Harry opened the envelope in silence and unfolded the letter carefully. He didn't read it out loud.  
  
'Dear Ginny.  
  
Sweet, sweet Ginny... I can't go on feeling this way. Not for you. You're my sister, and I love you, but I've gone beyond brotherly love. I'm in love with you. When you'll read this I'll no longer be with you. I have chosen to end my life. It's no way back now. I've taken the poison and I can feel it working in my system. I know that you will probably hate me for this, but try to remember me as your brother and not some pervert. At least try to find it in your heart to forgive me. I never meant for it to happen. I'm so sorry, Ginny.  
  
Goodbye Virginia  
  
Your brother, Ron.'  
  
Harry stared at the pice of parchment for several minutes. "You're known...? You've know all along what...? What... Why... You've known?" His eyes overflowed with tears.  
  
Ginny nodded. "But how could I tell anyone about this? I'm the one who's to blame for Ron's death. He would have been here still if it wasn't for me. I should be dead, not him. I should be..." She started sobbing loudly. "Not Ron... Ron... I should never have kissed him," she said through her sobs.  
  
"You kissed him?" Harry wiped his tearstained face with the sleeve of his robes.  
  
"On a dare. And only as a brother. I never thought..." She broke down sobbing again.  
  
Harry put his arm around the shivering girl's shoulders. "It wasn't your fault, Ginny. No one could have known that he would do such a thing."  
  
"But it must have been something I did that made him get those feelings for me."  
  
"No. Draco did nothing good to me. He was mean and cruel to me for years, and I still fell in love with him." He sighed. "No one can help feeling what they feel." He put the letter back in its envelope and gave it back to Ginny.  
  
"I don't want it!" She tore the letter to pieces and threw them on the Hall's cold stone floor. "I only kept it so that you could see for yourself. I wanted to tell you. You cared so much for Ron. I don't want to stain Ron's memory, but I thought that you didn't deserve to be kept in the dark about this." She sobbed once. "I just thought you deserved to know." She repeated that last sentence three times before she fell silence.  
  
"You haven't ruined Ron's memory. I loved Ron when he was alive and I still do. I wish I could tell him that. I wish he could have talked to me or someone in stead of... Of... Taking his life."  
  
Ginny burst into tears once more and ran away from him, right through her silencing spell, leaving Harry alone in the silence. He brushed the pieces of the ripped letter into his hand and burnt it with a specified fire spell. He stared at the whiff of smoke it caused and for a second, just a tiny second, he thought he saw Ron's face in the grey of the smoke. Harry shook his head and closed his eyes. The tears ran freely down his face and he sobbed loudly. He knew that the spell would keep bypassers from hearing his sobs. He pulled his knees up to his chin and pit his arms around them. His head fell down onto his knees and tears made the fabric in his trousers wet. Harry was rocking uncontrolably back and forth when Draco entered the silenced corner and put his arms around him.  
  
"What on earth did she do to you, Harry luv?"  
  
"Ginny... Ron... No... Why? Ron..." Harry let out a howl and hid his face in his hands.  
  
"Shhh... It's going to be okay. Everything'll fine... Just let it out..." The blonde sat down behind his boyfriend and whispered soothing words in his ear. He put his arms around the shivering shape infront of his and held him still. "Just cry, my sweet." And Harry did just that.  
  
After one and a half hour, Draco ended Ginny's spell and put a weightless spell on Harry. The Slytherin put his arms around his trembling boyfriend and carried him up to the Gryffindor tower. When he reached the Fat Lady's portrait she stopped him.  
  
"You are not a Gryffindor," she said in a stern voice.  
  
"I know, but Harry is and I need to get him to bed. Will you please let me in. You know I'm allowed to be in there in company with a Gryffindor student. And Harry's with me. Please?" Draco pleaded with her.  
  
She smiled. "Do you have the password, Draco?" she asked.  
  
He smiled back at her. "No. I'm not allowed to know that, you see." He lied, but for a just cause.  
  
She winked at him and swung open.  
  
"Thank you," he said and climbed through with the weeping Harry in his arms. He ignored the Gryffindors in the commonroom and walked right passed them up to Harry's dormitoriy. He put his boyfriend gently down on the bed and lifted the weightless spell from him. Draco sat down on Harry's bed and took his head in his lap. "Shhhh... You can relax now. You are safe. Please forget. Please forget, my sweet." He stroked the other boy's raven black hair and let his other hand rest on his chest. After a while his breath began to slow down and Draco figured out that he had cried himself to sleep in spite of the fact that he had overslept that morning. Draco kissed his boyfriend's forhead and put his head on the pillow. Then he laid himself down behind him and held him close as he slept.  
  
Author's note: What do you think? I really don't know what I think... Please r'n'r! 


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